When people talk about a UK visa, they usually relate to a visitor visa, a student visa, or a work visa which generally has a bracket of 2-3 years. However, not many are aware of a UK long term tourist visa.
Requirements for Applying for a UK Long Term Visit Visa
It is normal to assume a UK visitor visa or tourist visa lasts for a small period, permitting travel for a holiday, visiting family and friends, a job interview, getting private medical treatment, attending a conference, or just enough time for one to complete their education in case of a student visa.
Many applicants are astonished to hear that the UK home office grants a long-term standard visitor visa UK lasting between 5 to 10 years, in some scenarios. Here, you’ll find info on the long-term visitor visa, the entitlement obligations standards, and the circumstances to obtain a long-term visa for the UK.
Why does one need to apply for a long-term visa to the UK?
The primary objective to apply for a long-term visitor visa, be it 5 or 10 years, is to allow entry to the UK where it is recognised that the visa holder will be making recurrent trips. This indicates that a long-term visa UK can be utilised to cater to an extensive range of situations, including those who wish to do the following:
- Spend several days, weeks, or months in the UK annually on vacation and later exit the country during the colder months.
- Make multiple business trips annually to the UK.
- Visit family members regularly.
- Participate in numerous social work activities.
When one possesses a long-term visitor visa UK, they can circumvent the obligations to apply for a visa again until the visitor visa expires.
Eligibility Rules & Requirements for Long Term Visitor Visa UK
The eligibility obligations are the same as that of a general visa, irrespective of the duration of the visitor visa, these include that the applicant fulfil the following:
- The applicant needs to depart the UK at the end of their visit.
- The applicant should not reside in the country for lengthy periods through frequent visits.
- The applicant must have proof of business or any other activity desired to be carried out in the UK, as permitted by the UK visa rules.
- Other obligations might apply depending on the purpose of the visa.
- It is highly recommended to go through the UK Home Office website for extensive and elaborated details.
The obligations for a long-term standard visitor visa UK are that the UK Home Office needs to be convinced that the applicant is a genuine visitor at all times. For this:
- The visitor will exit the country at the end of their visit.
- The visitor will not reside in the UK for long periods via recurrent visits too frequently or make the UK their permanent home.
- The visitor is sincerely seeking entry to stay for an intention that is allowed under the visitor route as set out in the authorised activities.
- The visitor will not indulge in any forbidden actions or activities.
- The visitor must have adequate funds to cover all ideal costs of their visit without retrieving public funds or working.
Hence, to sum up, it is important to understand that the long-term standard visitor visa UK cannot be utilised as a means to simply reside in the UK by secretly exhausting 6 months, exiting the country, and then instantly coming back to the UK. This violates the rule of not residing in the UK for extended periods. Several long stays that reach the 6-month limit every time stir doubts that the visitor visa holder is not genuine. Adhere by these guidelines and get a long-term UK tourist visa in no time.
