A UK Standard Visitor visa lets you stay for up to 6 months for tourism, seeing family, certain business activities and short courses. It costs £135. Not everyone needs one. If your nationality is on the Home Office “visa national” list, for example Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, India, Pakistan or Nigeria, you need a visa before you travel. Many other visitors, including nationals of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the other Gulf states, do not need a visa but must get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA), which costs £20.
Do you need a visa or an ETA?
The visa national list in Appendix Visitor of the Immigration Rules, as published on GOV.UK when we checked on 17 October 2026, sets out who needs a visa before travelling. Some examples:
| What you need for a visit of up to 6 months | Example nationalities |
|---|---|
| A visit visa before you travel (on the visa national list) | Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ghana, India, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen |
| No visa, but usually an ETA (not on the list) | Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and many others |
- People travelling on any document other than a national passport, such as a refugee travel document, and stateless people are treated as visa nationals, with limited exceptions.
- To marry, register a civil partnership or give notice of either, you need a Marriage Visitor visa, whatever your nationality.
- GOV.UK says that if you have been refused entry before or have a criminal record, you may want to apply for a visa even if you do not need one.
Lists change. Before you book, use the GOV.UK “Check if you need a UK visa” tool.
What you can and cannot do as a visitor
You can
- take a holiday, or visit family and friends
- volunteer for up to 30 days with a registered charity
- pass through the UK to another country
- carry out permitted business activities, such as attending meetings, interviews and conferences
- study for up to 6 months at an accredited institution, or take a recreational course of up to 30 days
- get private medical treatment, if you can pay for it
You cannot
- do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person, unless it is a “permitted paid engagement”
- claim public funds (benefits)
- live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits
- enrol a child in a state school: the accredited institution cannot be an academy or state-funded school, unless you are on an Erasmus+ placement
- marry or register a civil partnership without a Marriage Visitor visa
What a Border Force officer may ask you
Whatever you travel with, you must meet the visitor requirements and may be asked about them at the border. You must show that you will leave at the end of your visit, can support yourself and any dependants (or have funding), can pay for your return or onward journey, and will not make the UK your main home through frequent visits. Your passport must be valid for your whole stay.
How to apply for a visit visa
- Check you need one with the official tool.
- Choose the right visa: up to 6 months, or a long-term visa for 2, 5 or 10 years if you visit regularly, with a maximum of 6 months per visit.
- Apply online. The earliest is 3 months before you travel.
- Attend a visa application centre to prove your identity, give fingerprints and a photo, and provide documents. The centre may be in another country.
- Wait for a decision. Usually within 3 weeks. You get your passport back on the day of your appointment.
You may need your travel history for the past 10 years, details of your job and income, who is paying, and any family in the UK. GOV.UK says documents not in English or Welsh need certified translations; find a translator in our translators directory. If you are visiting for more than 6 months, you may need a tuberculosis (TB) test certificate, depending on where you live.
Children under 18
Children can visit if suitable arrangements have been made for their travel and stay. A child travelling alone needs written consent and full contact details from a parent or guardian. If a child travels with an adult who is not their parent, up to 2 adults can be named in the application, and each adult applies separately.
Official visit costs
| Type | Fee | Maximum stay |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) | £20 | Up to 6 months per visit |
| Standard Visitor visa | £135 | 6 months |
| Standard Visitor visa for medical reasons | £234 | 11 months |
| Standard Visitor visa for academics | £234 | 12 months |
| 2-year long-term visa | £506 | 6 months per visit |
| 5-year long-term visa | £903 | 6 months per visit |
| 10-year long-term visa | £1,128 | 6 months per visit |
| Visitor in Transit visa | £74.50 | Transit only |
| Staying longer from inside the UK (certain cases) | £1,172 | Depends on the case |
These fees are in the Home Office table in force from 8 April 2026, and the 8 October 2026 table does not change them. Visitors do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, but GOV.UK says you pay for NHS care at the point of use unless the service is free, so travel health insurance is worth considering. See our visa cost guide and visa cost calculator.
Long-term visas: conditions to know
If you are under 18 when you apply, a long-term visa is only valid until 6 months after you turn 18, with no refund. You may be given a shorter visa than you asked for, and there is no refund then or if you are refused. The visa may be cancelled if your travel history shows you are repeatedly living in the UK for long periods.
How the ETA works
An ETA lets you travel to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man for up to 6 months per visit. Apply online or in the UK ETA app, scanning your passport and face with your phone. Decisions usually arrive within a day but can take up to 3 working days. The ETA lasts 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner, and covers as many trips as you want.
- Everyone needs their own ETA, including babies and children.
- An ETA does not guarantee entry.
- GOV.UK warns other websites may charge more. The £20 is not refundable.
- You do not need an ETA if you already have permission to live, work or study in the UK.
Plan the trip once the paperwork is done
Pick a few priorities, group each day by area, and check opening times and booking rules on each attraction’s own site. Budget for accommodation, transport, food and tickets with some slack. London’s daily fare caps are in our transport guide, and our London guide helps in the capital.
Common mistakes
- Relying on old information about exemptions. Check the current list and the GOV.UK tool.
- Applying through unofficial sites. You pay more for no faster decision.
- Working remotely for a UK company while visiting. This is not allowed.
- Making long back-to-back visits. They can lead to refusal or cancellation.
- Booking non-refundable travel before your decision.
What this page does not do
This page is not legal advice or an assessment of your chances, and we do not submit applications. If you have a previous refusal or a complicated history, speak to an SRA-regulated solicitor or an adviser registered with the Immigration Advice Authority through our immigration lawyers directory.
Frequently asked questions
Do Egyptian, Indian or Nigerian citizens need a visa to visit the UK?
Yes. All three are on the visa national list we checked on 17 October 2026, so you need a visit visa before travelling.
Do Saudi or UAE citizens need a visa?
Not for visits of up to 6 months, but they need a £20 ETA before travelling. Different rules apply for marriage or longer stays.
Can I extend my visit while I am in the UK?
Only in specific cases, such as medical treatment, academic visits or retaking the PLAB test. An academic, for example, can apply from inside the UK for £1,172 to stay up to 12 months in total.
Will the NHS treat me for free as a visitor?
Generally no. You pay for NHS care at the point of use unless the service is free. See our healthcare guide.
Do I need a TB test to visit?
Only if you are visiting for more than 6 months and live in a listed country, such as Algeria, Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Iraq, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan or Sudan.
Sources
Entry rules change. Check these pages before you apply or book.
- GOV.UK — Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor ↗
- GOV.UK — Standard Visitor (full guide) ↗
- Immigration Rules — Appendix Visitor: visa national list ↗
- GOV.UK — Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) ↗
- GOV.UK — Check if you need a UK visa ↗
- Home Office — Immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 ↗
- Home Office — Immigration and nationality fees, 8 October 2026 ↗
- GOV.UK — Who needs to pay the IHS ↗
- GOV.UK — Countries where you need a TB test ↗
- VisitBritain ↗
Your next step
Work out total visit costs for your family in the visa cost calculator, then organise your trip in My UK Plan by choosing the visit option.
Reviewed 17 October 2026.