Standard Visit Visas

A Standard Visit visa can be used for purposes such as studying a course of less than 6 months, coming to do re-sits, tourism or for your family and friends to come and visit you.

Do I need to apply for a visa before coming to the UK?

If you are a visa national, you will need to apply for a visa (Entry Clearance) prior to arriving in the UK.

If you are a non-visa national, you are not required to apply for a visa prior to arriving in the UK, and can request permission to enter as a visitor at the UK border.

Check online to see if you require a visa.

Where do I apply for my Visit Visa?

If you are a Visa National, you will need to apply for Entry Clearance (a visa) before you can travel to the UK. You should apply no more than 3 months before your intended date of travel. It usually takes around 15 working days to get a decision, although times may vary.

If you are a Non-Visa National, you can still choose to apply for your visa overseas if you wish, or you can enter the UK and apply for permission to enter at the border.

To apply for permission to enter at the UK border, you should carry all relevant evidence showing you meet the Visit visa requirements (see Supporting Document Checklist below) in your hand luggage.

Permission to enter as a visitor granted at the UK border to non-visa nationals is free of charge. An application for prior entry clearance (a visa) standard visit visa costs £115, but there may be additional priority services available for additional services.

Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

An ETA is advanced permission to travel to the UK. This can be applied for by nationals of certain countries. For information on who can apply, check GOV.UK's guidance about getting an electronic travel authorisation (ETA).

The ETA is applied for before you travel to the UK and once you arrive in the UK you will need to meet the Standard Visitor visa requirements for your visit.

Supporting Document Checklist

If you are coming to study for less than 6 months:

  • A Valid Passport.
  • Letter from LJMU with details of your course.
  • If you are undertaking a period of Research, you will need to show evidence you are enrolled on a course overseas that is equivalent to UK Degree Level.
  • Evidence of your circumstances at home (for example a letter on headed paper from your home University or from your employer confirming your employment).
  • Financial Documents such as bank or building society statements (please see Finances section below).

If a family member or friend is coming to the UK to visit you:

  • A valid passport
  • A Student Status letter confirming you are studying at LJMU. You can request this letter via ‘MyLJMU Portal’ in the ‘My Services’ section on the LJMU website.
  • If your family member or friend is coming to visit you for Graduation, once you have booked your Graduation, you will receive a confirmation email, which you can print off and use in conjunction with your Status letter.
  • If your visitor is financially supporting themselves, they should show evidence, such as bank statements, with enough funds to cover their intended visit (please see Finances section below).
  • If you are financially supporting your visitor, your financial evidence.
  • Letter from your Landlord or accommodation provider.
  • Letter from you explaining your relationship to your visitor, length of visit and how long they intend to stay.
  • Letter from your visitor explaining why they are visiting and that they intend to return to their home country at the end of the visit.
  • A letter from your visitor’s employer or school confirming their status.

Finances

Unlike the student visa which requires you to have a set amount of money in your bank account for a minimum time, there is no set amount of money you or your visitor needs to show to apply for the Standard visit visa.

You or your visitor need to be able to show that you have enough funds to support your visitor for the duration of the trip. This will vary depending on how long the visit it, where you intend to stay (for example with relatives, or in hotel, etcetera.) If you or your visitor are being supported by another person (for example parents), you can provide a letter from them confirming this and evidence that they have sufficient funds to support the visit (bank statements or proof of earnings).

All visitors must satisfy the Genuine Visitor requirements. 

Please see more information about the Standard Visit Visa on GOV.UK and the UKCSIA website.

You can also email internationaladvice@ljmu.ac.uk for further assistance.