The visitor to the United Kingdom must be able to show that he:

• Only want to visit the United Kingdom for up to 6 months
• Plan to leave the United Kingdom at the end of your visit
• Have enough money to support and accommodate yourself without working, help from public funds or you will be supported and accommodated by relatives or friends
• Do not intend to charge members of the public for services provided or goods received
• Do not intend to study
• Can meet the cost of the return or onward journey

 Documents required ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• A letter from employer granting leave of absence from your job for a specified period clearing stating the duration of employment, designation and expected date of joining back at work
• If you are self-employed, evidence of your business activities and financial standing
• Evidence of any property you own in your home country
• If you are a student, a letter from your school or college clearing stating the study course, its duration and the dates of the holiday period during which the student intend to visit the United Kingdom
• It will also help if you can show that you have family or social ties and responsibilities to return to
• Evidence of any firm travel plans you have made
• Bank statements going back over a period of several months
• Evidence of savings available to you

 Extension of stay-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The visitor to the United Kingdom is allowed to stay only for a maximum of 6 months. If you are permitted to enter only for 3 months and would like to extend your stay to a maximum of 6 months, you will need to apply using the application form FLR (O).

You should send your completed application form to us by post before your permission to stay ends. The application form gives you details of where to send your completed application form, fee and supporting documents. All documents should be originals unless you have a good reason why you cannot produce them with your application.

The visitor is not allowed to stay in the United Kingdom for more than 6 months and expected to return home when the visa expires.

 Entry clearance (Visa) to the United Kingdom --------------------------------------------------------------

There are four types of entry clearance (visas) that can be issued to an applicant to give them permission to travel to or enter the United Kingdom:

I. A visa that is required by nationals or citizens of the following countries:

(a) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, People's Republic of China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominican, Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea (North), Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Sao Tome e Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe and former territories comprising the socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

(b) Persons who hold passports or travel documents issued by the former Soviet Union or by the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

(c) Stateless persons

(d) Persons who hold non-national documents

II. An entry certificate issued to non-visa nationals

The following persons do not need a visa for the United Kingdom:

(a) Those who qualify for admission to the United Kingdom as returning residents in accordance with paragraph 18

(b) Those who seek leave to enter the United Kingdom within the period of their earlier leave and for the same purpose as that for which that leave was granted, unless it was for a period of six months or less or was extended by statutory instrument or by section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971

(c) Those nationals or citizens of the People's Republic of China holding passports issued by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

(d)Those nationals or citizens of the People's Republic of China holding passports issued by Macao Special Administrative Region

(e) Those who arrive in the United Kingdom with leave to enter which is in force but which was given before arrival so long as those in question arrive within the period of their earlier leave and for the same purpose as that for which leave was granted, unless that leave was for a period of 6 months or less or was extended by statutory instrument or by section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971

III. European Economic Area (EEA) family permit issued to the family members of EEA nationals

IV. Exempt vignette issued to people who are exempt from the requirements of the Immigration Act 1971

Entry clearance requirement-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The need to apply for entry clearance (Visa) depends on the nationality of the visitor and the purpose of visit to the United Kingdom. Depending on the nationality, visitor will come under one of two categories, namely, visa national or non-visa national.

• If you are a visa national you will need entry clearance (a visa) to come to the United Kingdom.
• If you are a non-visa national you will not need entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for less than six months, unless it is a requirement of the immigration category you are entering under. If you are a non-visa national coming to the United Kingdom for more than six months you will need entry clearance.
• Some visa nationals may transit the United Kingdom without a visa; however there are circumstances where visa nationals traveling to the United Kingdom for the purpose of transiting on to another country require a Direct Airside or Visitor in Transit Visa.

Where to apply --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The visitor must be outside the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man when you make your application for entry clearance. An application for entry clearance as a visitor can be made at any British diplomatic post offering a visa service. All other entry clearance applications must be made to the British diplomatic post in the country or territory where you are living.