In order to properly travel and enter the UK, you might need a visa, therefore, it is recommended to search in time on this matter, and to solicit help and guidance from our immigration solicitors in London. The Immigration Office in the UK and also the government have developed online websites where any foreign citizen can verify if he needs a UK visa to enter the country. It is good to know that the EEA (European Economic Area), Switzerland, and the EU (European Union) don’t need to apply for a visa to travel to the UK. In this article, our UK immigration lawyer can guide you step by step if you want to know details about the type of visas you might need to enter the UK.
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Check if you need a UK visa
The first step is to choose your nationality according to the travel document or passport, and then to verify once again the purpose for your travel to the UK:
- for study;
- for work ;
- for tourism ;
- to visit friends and family;
- to transit in your way to another country;
- to get married ;
- to join your partner;
- to get private medical treatment;
- to visit your children at school;
- for diplomatic purposes or government businesses.
If you are traveling to the UK on diplomatic issues you won’t need a visa, but you can apply for an exempt vignette. As an official of the government in your country you can apply for the same type of visa and to schedule a meeting at the visa application center in your home country, three months earlier. The exempt vignette is not mandatory but you can ask for it if you need to avoid delays when you enter the UK.
If you are coming to the UK to get married or to enter into a civil partnership, you must apply for a marriage visitor visa. In this category, we remind you that if you have a British partner and you wish to join him to permanently live in the UK you need to apply for a family of a settled person visa. All the needed documentation and also legal assistance about the type of visa you might need can be obtained from our UK immigration lawyer. They can also offer information about UK residence card and about British citizenship.
Check what type of visa you need to study in the UK
Non-EU citizens who wish to study at a college in the UK for more than six months, or if they want to participate in English courses that last for more than 11 months, need to obtain a study visa or a short-term study visa. The minimum age to apply for these visas is 18, but if you are under this age, you must apply for a child-student visa.
Interested in a residence permit in UK or British citizenship? Please feel free to talk to our London immigration lawyer.
Check what type of visa you need to work in the UK
A skilled worker visa is necessary for persons with high qualifications. A temporary worker needs to apply for a Tier 5 visa, and here we mention the international agreement for people coming to the UK under contract, and the youth mobility scheme for young persons from Canada, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Monaco, or New Zealand. A religious worker will need to apply for a Tier 2 visa.
For additional information or legal assistance, you can contact our team of immigration solicitors in London. Legal advice for obtaining UK residence card or British citizenship can be offered by our London immigration lawyer.