Visitor visas

How to apply

• The earliest you can apply for a Visitor visa is three months before you travel.
• Information you will need to apply and the link to the application form is here: Standard Visitor: Apply now
• Prepare your documents and apply online - the application fee is £127 (rising to £135 from 08/Apr).
• Book and attend an appointment at a Visa Application Centre to provide your passport, original documents and enrol your biometrics. *You may be charged additional fees for the biometrics appointment.
• Standard processing time is 3 weeks from the date of your appointment. For current processing times please see the Home Office website.

Document list

Below is a summary of required documents. Please see Standard Visitor visa: Documents you'll need and Visiting the UK: guide to supporting documents for further details.

• Current passport: This must be valid for the whole of your visit to the UK.
• University of Exeter Visitor visa letter: The letter will be provided by the following team:
  • One Semester Study Abroad students – this is your acceptance letter from the Inbound team.
  • PhD students attending viva – the Doctoral College.
  • Students returning for January or May exams – your Hub.
  •  Visiting Postgraduate Research students – the CAS team. You will also need a letter from your home university confirming the details of your programme of study in your country.
  • International Summer School students – International Summer School team.
• ATAS certificate: Only required for certain science‑related postgraduate subject areas – it will be stated on your offer letter. You must apply for your ATAS certificate at least 6 weeks before you plan to travel to the UK. The certificate will be emailed to you and you cannot start your study at Exeter without it. You should familiarise yourself with our in‑depth ATAS information  before you apply.
• Accommodation and travel plans: Details of where you intend to stay, e.g. University accommodation details or tenancy agreement. You do not need to have paid for this before you apply for your visa. If you are staying with a friend or family member, include a letter from them confirming this. You should also include details of outgoing and return flights, but these do not need to have been booked.
• Evidence of sufficient funds: You need to show that you have enough money to support yourself while in the UK. For example, bank statements or payslips covering 6 months showing that you have sufficient money to cover travel, accommodation, tuition fees and other study expenses. There are no specific requirements for a Visitor visa; however, we suggest you use the Student visa monthly amount for living expenses as a guide: £1,171/month (excluding tuition fees).
• Sponsorship: If you are receiving any financial assistance for your visit — for example from a family member, a friend, an employer or an organisation — they are considered to be your sponsor. You must provide details of this sponsorship on the application form and include evidence of their ability and willingness to pay for you.
• Other documents: If you are under 18, applying for your visa in a country where you are not a national, or if any of your documents are not in English, you will need to provide additional documents.

Travelling to the UK

Your Visitor visa will have a 'valid from' date and you should not travel to the UK before this date. On arrival in the UK, you will need to present your visa to a UK Border Force Officer who will stamp your passport with the date that you entered. You should carry a copy of your University of Exeter Visitor visa letter with you in case you need to show it to the UK Border Force Officer.

If you are a national of one of these countries, you can enter through an eGate at the airport instead, but you will need to keep your flight ticket or boarding pass as proof of your date of entry as you won't receive a date of entry stamp in your passport.

University registration

On arrival at the University, you will need to present your passport, visa and entry stamp (or flight ticket/boarding pass) to International Student Clearance before you can register. You will receive instructions via email on where to go for this before you arrive.

Travelling during your studies

Your Visitor visa should be multiple entry, so you should be able to leave and re-enter the UK during your course. Unless you are eligible to enter via an eGate you will need to get your visa stamped each time you enter the UK.  All students should carry a student status (“to whom it may concern") letter (obtained from the SID Desk in the Forum, Penryn Info Point in Cornwall, or printed through SRS in MyExeter) in your hand luggage in case you need to prove to the UK Border Force Officer that you are still studying.

Travelling after your studies

You don't need to leave the UK immediately after you have finished studying at Exeter buy you must leave by the expiry date printed on your visa.

Questions?

Navigating the Visitor rules can be complicated. If you have any questions, contact the trained immigration advisers in International Student Advice.

How to apply for a Visitor visa (visa nationals)

Applying for a Visitor visa in advance of travelling

If you are from one of the countries on the Visa National list, you are considered a 'visa national'. You must apply for and be granted your Visitor visa before you travel to the UK.

If you are not from one of the countries on the Visa National list, you are considered a 'non-visa national' and this means you can enter the UK as a visitor without applying for a visa in advance of travelling (see section below).

The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel. You start by submitting your application form online (except in North Korea) and paying an application fee of £127 (rising to £135 from 08/April). There are additional fees for fast track services.

Once your application form has been submitted, you will usually need to attend an appointment at a UK Visa Application Centre to submit your original documents and enrol your biometric information. It will then take about three weeks for your visa application to be processed, depending on where you are applying. For current processing times please see the Home Office website.

Entering as a Visitor on arrival (non-visa nationals only)

This option is only available to ‘non-visa nationals’ whose nationalities are not listed on the visa nationals list. This includes EU/EEA and Swiss nationals who do not have a status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

If your nationality is on that list, you must apply for and be granted your Visitor visa before you travel to the UK.

As a 'non-visa national' you still need immigration permission to be in the UK and will be entering as a visitor when you pass through border control. You may be asked questions at the border about your eligibility and the activities you plan to do. You do not need to make any sort of visa application in advance.

Before you travel:

You need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before you travel (except BNO passport holders).

At the border (airport, ferry, train):

If your nationality qualifies to enter via an eGate, you can join that queue and will not see an Immigration Officer to present your documents. You will automatically be classed as entering the UK as a Visitor. Some travellers who go through the eGate may be asked to see a UK Border Force Officer for spot checks, so you should make sure you have all of the below documents ready anyway.

If your nationality does not allow you to enter via the eGate or these are not available, you will need to join the queue to see a UK Border Force Officer. On reaching the UK Border Force Officer, you will need to present the documents listed below. Your passport will be stamped with a date stamp.

Documents

Here’s a summary of the documents required; please see Standard Visitor visa: Documents you'll need and Visiting the UK: guide to supporting documents for further details.

If any documents are not in English they must be accompanied by an official translation, and there are specific requirements this translation must meet. Please see here for details.

Friends or family who are visiting you in the UK will need:

• A passport: this should be valid for the whole of the stay in the UK and contain a blank page for the visa.
• Evidence that they are able to support themselves and any dependants for the duration of the trip and can pay for the return journey and any other costs relating to their visit. This could be in the form of bank statements or building society books.
• Evidence of links to their home country along with evidence of intention to return. For example, a letter from an employer confirming employment details (start date of employment, salary, role, company contact details), ownership of property or rental agreement in the home country, evidence of retirement, etc. These are just examples — if the person is from a country with a high visa refusal rate , you can contact our team for specific advice.
• There are additional requirements for children under the age of 18; see here for details.

From you, they will need:

• Proof of your finances if you are providing financial support for their visit.
• An invitation letter written by you (the student). See below for details about what this letter should include.
• A copy of your student status (“To whom it may concern”) letter (this can be downloaded from SRS in iExeter), if you have not yet completed your studies.
• A copy of your graduation invitation email, if your friends/family are visiting to attend your graduation ceremony.
• A copy of your passport and visa.

If you are applying for the Visitor visa to attend your own graduation, you will need:

• Your passport: this should be valid for the whole of your stay in the UK and contain a blank page for the visa.
• Evidence that you are able to support yourself and any dependants for the duration of your trip and can pay for your return journey and any other costs relating to your visit.
• Your graduation invitation email, or a graduation letter (this can be requested from SID).

What do I write in my invitation letter?

You’ll need to write an invitation letter for your guests outlining their relationship to you and the purpose of their visit. You should address the letter to the ‘Visitor visa casework team’ and include these details:

• Your visitor’s full name
• Your relationship to them (parent, friend, etc.)
• The reason for their visit (graduation, holiday, etc.)
• Their planned arrival and departure dates
• Where they intend to stay; if they plan to stay with you, give your full address
• Your own immigration status (for example, Student visa and the end date of your visa).

Visitor visa conditions

Visitors:

• Are not allowed to work.  
• Can undertake up to 30 days of recreational study (unless they are visiting specifically for study purposes, see here for further details).  
• Are not entitled to free medical treatment on the National Health Service.  
• Must leave the UK at the end of the 6 months.  
• Cannot switch from a Visitor visa to any other category (for example, your visitor cannot then extend their stay in the UK as your Dependant).