Visitor visa

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About Visitor visas

You may be able to do some business activities in Scotland as a visitor.

There are different types of Visitor visas. These include:

• Standard Visitor visas
• Business Visitor visas

This list is not exhaustive. Read about different types of Visitor visas (gov uk)

Standard Visitor visas

Whether you need to apply for a Visitor visa will depend on your nationality.

If you need to apply for a visa, you’re a ‘visa national’. View the list of nationalities requiring a Visitor visa (gov.uk)

Certain nationalities can apply for electronic travel authorisation (gov.uk)

If your nationality isn’t on this list, you’re a 'non-visa national'. You can visit the UK for up to six months without applying for a Visitor visa.

Non-visa nationals can still be asked about their visit by an immigration officer at the border.

All visitors need to meet the requirements. For example, you need to show you’re a 'genuine' visitor. This means:

• You’ll leave the UK at the end of your visit
• You won’t live in the UK through frequent or successive visits
• You won’t take a job in the UK or claim public funds

What paid engagements you can do

If you’re a visa national, you can visit the UK as a standard visitor for certain paid engagements or events. You’ll need to show that:

• You have an invitation from a UK organisation or client
• Your engagement or event was pre-arranged
• You’re an expert in your profession

This includes the following professions:

• Academics
• Artists
• Air pilot examiners
• Entertainers
• Lawyers
• Musicians

You’re allowed to do activities connected to your job. For example:

• Speak at conferences and talks
• Give lectures
• Perform

You’ll need to carry out your activities in the first month of your visit.

Business Visitor visas

If you’re a visa national and you want to do activities related to your job abroad, you’ll need to apply for a Business Visitor visa.

You’re allowed to do certain work-related activities linked to your job abroad. What you can do depends on your profession or field.

Business employees or owners can:

• Go to meetings, conferences, seminars and interviews
• Give talks, if it’s not profit-making
• Negotiate and sign deals and contracts
• Go to trade fairs to promote your business. You cannot sell directly
• Carry out site visits
• Work remotely from the UK. This cannot be the main purpose of your visit

Employees of an international company with a branch in the UK can:

• Train and advise employees
• Work with clients
• Help with machinery and software in some cases

Lawyers can: 

• Advise
• Appear in court
• Litigate

For a Business Visitor visa, you’ll need to show you’re visiting the UK for business purposes that the rules allow.

How to apply

You can apply online from outside the UK (gov.uk)

The earliest you can apply is three months before you travel.

There’s a fee of:

• £115 for a Visitor visa for up to six months
• £200 for a Visitor visa for academics
• £432 for a two-year long-term Visitor visa
• £771 for a five-year long-term Visitor visa
• £963 for a 10-year long-term Visitor visa

What you need to do

You’ll need to show you:

• Genuinely intend to visit the UK
• Will leave the UK at the end of your visit and before your visa expires
• Can pay for yourself without public funds
• Can pay for your journey out of the UK
• Will not use the Visitor visa to live in the UK by making a lot of visits

It’s a good idea to have the following:

• Travel dates
• Where you’re staying
• How much money you have for your visit
• Employment details
• Any letters about business activities

Outcomes

Visas are usually granted for up to six months.

You can apply for a long-term Visitor visa for up to two, five or 10 years. This means you can visit the UK multiple times. Normally, you can only visit for up to six months at a time.

If you’re an academic, you can apply to stay as a Standard Visitor for up to 12 months in total.

Read about Visitor visas (gov.uk)

Photo credit: Scottish Enterprise