Visitor Visas

Short-term work on a visit visa

You can visit the UK as a Standard Visitor for tourism, business, study (courses up to 6 months) and other permitted activities.

You can usually stay in the UK for up to 6 months. You might be able to apply to stay for longer in certain circumstances, for example to get medical treatment.

A. What is this visa for?

This visa is issued for the following purposes:

a) short-term private visit or tourist trip

The applicant's intentions: to visit relatives, friends or to come on vacation as a tourist.

b) unpaid work

Short-term unpaid work for charities officially registered in the UK. The total period of work should not exceed 30 days.

c) business trip with common goals

• participation in conferences, seminars, interviews;
• conducting negotiations, signing contracts;
• visits to production facilities;
• collecting information for upcoming work abroad;
• receiving instructions from clients located in the UK, provided that all work for clients is performed outside the UK;
• attending exhibitions and fairs to promote goods and services, but not for the purpose of selling them;
• speaking at events, unless they are organized for profit.

d) business trip for corporate purposes

• for employees of a foreign company in order to conduct consultations, trainings, exchange of experience in relation to internal corporate projects with British employees of the same corporate group, provided that work will not be carried out directly with clients;
• internal auditors from foreign branches are allowed to conduct regulatory audits or financial audits in the British branches of the same group of companies.

e) business trip for scientific and academic purposes

• collection of information by scientists and researchers for individual projects directly related to their work abroad;
• knowledge sharing or consulting on international projects managed from the UK, without the right to conduct research in the UK;
• inter-university exchange for teachers (including doctors);
• conducting research by university teachers for their own purposes during academic leave;
• participation of leading doctors or dentists in research, teaching or clinical practice, without the right to hold a permanent teaching position

(f) Other business trips

• translators, assistants and security guards accompanying their employer on a business trip;
• drivers on international routes delivering goods or transporting passengers to the UK;
• the head of the tourist group accompanying tourists to the UK, provided that the tour is organized by a foreign company for which he works;
• journalists, correspondents, producers, cameramen collecting materials for foreign programs or publications;
• archaeologists to participate in excavations;
• teachers of foreign universities accompanying students in the study abroad program, with the right to teach in the host organization, but without the right to hold a permanent teaching position

g) production and delivery of goods in the UK

For employees of a foreign manufacturer or supplier who come to a British company to install, dismantle, maintain or advise on the operation of equipment, hardware or software, if the foreign company has a contract with this company.

h) customers of British export companies

For employees of foreign companies who have a contract with British companies to export goods from the UK, provided that both companies are not companies of the same group.  A visit to verify compliance with the requirements for the goods supplied and the services provided.

i) travel for a legal purpose

For expert witnesses for the purpose of testifying in court. Other witnesses can come to the UK only on the basis of a personal summons from the court. For foreign lawyers providing legal assistance to clients in the UK.

k) visit of religious figures

A short-term visit for preaching or pastoral activities.

l) creative workers

For artists - both amateurs and professionals who intend to come to the UK for a short period of time to participate in events (or a series of events), music competitions or auditions. The Entertainer Visitor category also includes staff accompanying and servicing an artist, musician or other artist.

m) participation in sports competitions

This category of visas is intended for athletes - both amateurs and professionals who intend to come to the UK for a short period of time to participate in competitions. This category also includes the maintenance staff of the team or athlete.

n) work-related training

• graduates of foreign colleges for the preparation of junior medical staff for the OSCE exam;

• doctors to pass the PLAB test;
• doctors (including dentists) who are going to work in the UK in the future - for introductory practice;
• participation in corporate trainings required by the foreign company for which the visa holder works.

o) study, which is the main purpose of the visit

• short-term visit on exchange programs between educational institutions;
• training for up to six months in short courses (except English language courses);
• training in short courses (including English classes) at an accredited educational institution.

p) a trip for the purpose of treatment

For examination and treatment in one of the private clinics in the UK.

B. General requirements for all applicants for Standard Visit Visa

• Each applicant must prove their intention to stay in the UK for no more than 6 months and leave the country at the end of the period specified in the visa. An exception is made for those who come for the purpose of treatment (up to 11 months) and teachers of foreign universities and their families who come for certain purposes (up to 12 months).
• You will have to leave the UK at the end of your visit.
• You will be able to support yourself and your dependents during the trip (or you have financial funds from someone else to support you).
• You can pay for your return or further travel (or get financial funding from someone else to pay for the trip).
• You will not live in the UK for a long time due to frequent or consecutive visits or will not make the UK your main home.

C. What you can and cannot do on a Standard Visit Visa

On this visa you will be able to carry out the following activities:

• for tourism, for example on a holiday or vacation
• to see your family or friends
• to volunteer for up to 30 days with a registered charity
• to pass through the UK to another country (‘in transit’)
• for certain business activities, for example attending a meeting or interview
• to take part in a school exchange programme
• to do a recreational course of up to 30 days, for example a dance course
• to study, do a placement or take an exam
• as an academic, senior doctor or dentist
• for medical reasons

On this visa you are not allowed to:

• perform paid or unpaid work for a British company or as a self-employed person, except for the reasons specified below
• apply for state benefits
• reside in the UK for an extended period of time through frequent or consecutive visits to join
• to get married or register a civil partnership, or to submit a notification to the local authorities about marriage or civil partnership - you will need to apply for a marriage visitor visa to get married

D. Short-term work allowed on a Standard Visit Visa

According to the current immigration rules, an employee of a foreign company, while having a Standard Visit Visa, can install, dismantle, repair, maintain or advise on machines, equipment, computer software or hardware (or train employees in the UK to provide these services) if there is a contract of sale, supply or lease with a British company or organization and if:

(a) the foreign company is a manufacturer or supplier; or

(b) the foreign company is part of a contractual after-sales service agreement agreed upon during the sale or lease, including in a warranty or other service contract related to the sale or lease.

E. Right of appeal and administrative review

In case of refusal, the right to appeal or administrative review is not provided, except for discrimination reasons.

But there is always an opportunity to challenge the decision, which the applicant considers illegal, by submitting a judicial review in the High Court (High Court).

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