London

Flickr.com/Eric Huybrechts

Understanding the four different visitor visas for South Africans visiting the UK

Thinking of visiting the UK? Find out more about which UK Visitor Visa you, as a South African, are eligible for.

London

Flickr.com/Eric Huybrechts

The UK Home Office has recently overhauled the UK visitor visa rules. The changes were introduced on 24 April 2015, with the aim to make it easier for business people and performing artists to enter the UK.

As South Africans are regarded as visa nationals, they are required to apply for a visit visa before flying to the UK. It is thus important that South Africans considering visiting the UK make themselves aware of the new visit visa rules.

Apparently, the changes were made in light of continuous complaints from British business leaders that the previous visit visa process were too cumbersome and a hindrance to economic growth.

There are now four types of visitor visas to the UK, depending on the reason for the visit.

Standard Visit Visa

The standard visit visa is basically for persons who want to visit the UK for tourism purposes and to visit family and friends. It can also be used for business purposes, or to take part in sports and creative events.

This visa is issued for up to six months.

It is also possible to apply for long-term visit visas, if you travel to the UK regularly. These visas are valid for 1, 2, 5 or 10 years, but you are only allowed to stay a maximum of 6 months during each visit.

Marriage Visit Visa

This visa is for persons who are getting married or entering into a civil partnership in the UK, or if they want to give notice of such.  In order to qualify you will have to be 18 years or older, and be in a genuine relationship.

The visa is granted for six months.

Permitted Paid Engagements Visit Visa

This visa is basically for persons visiting the UK to do specific paid work, without having to apply under the points-based visa system. It is a short term visa, and only valid for a period of up to one month. There are strict criteria about what is allowed and not allowed whilst in the UK.

Transit Visas

With transit visas you have to differentiate between whether you will be going through UK Border Control or not.

If you are only changing flights, not leaving the airport, and not going through the UK Border Control, you can apply for a Direct Airside Transit Visa.  It is only valid for up to 24 hours.

If you have to go through UK Border control, e.g. get a connecting flight, you will have to apply for the Visitor in Transit Visa.  With this visa, you will be allowed to stay for up to 48 hours.

Dual entry or single entry visit visa

A visitor may enter and leave the UK on multiple occasions, provided the visit visa is still valid, and endorsed as a dual entry visa. If the visit visa is endorsed as a single entry, the visitor will only be allowed to enter the UK once.

An important feature of the visitor visas is that a person is required to leave the UK at the end of the visa, and that a person cannot ‘live’ in the UK through frequent visits. You will also have no access to public funds, and may not switch to any other type of visa, whilst in the UK on a tourist visa.

If you are travelling to the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, you will need to apply for a UK Visitor Visa.

Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants have a number of affiliate offices in South Africa that are able to assist South Africans with their visit visas to the UK. They will also be able to give more advice to persons who have to conduct business in the UK, on what they will be allowed and not allowed to do.

www.bic-immigration.com or info@bic-immigration.com

Photo by Flickr.com/EricHuybrechts