🇬🇧 How long can a visitor stay in the U.K.?

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We are often asked about visiting the U.K.  Many already know it’s 6 months maximum but how is it calculated? 6 months per year or what?


The answer is: 6 months from each entry. Every time you cross the U.K. border, your stay starts again. For example, you spent one month here, then went to France for a weekend. Then came back to the U.K.  - and your 6 months started again.


The Immigration Rules do not prevent from frequent travelling , as long as your visits are indeed genuine visits , and not de facto residence. If de facto residence is suspected , you can be questioned by the border control. This is because a Visitor status doesn’t allow to live in the U.K., only to stay temporarily. A visitor isn’t allowed to use the NHS (including register with a GP), work or study.


Long-term Visitor visas : 2 years, 10 years etc.


If you are a visa national and need to have a visa stamp before travelling to the U.K. , you may apply for a long-term visa. Not just 6 months , but 2, 5 or even 10 years. A long-term visa saves you applying and doing biometrics every time, but you can still stay only 6 months from each entry. 


To discuss your options, please book an online or in-person consultation with a lawyer here. We offer advice over WhatsApp, Zoom, Skype, phone or email.


1st 4Immigration is one of the most experienced UK immigration law companies, OISC - accredited at the highest Level 3. We have been in business for over 10 years, our OISC reference is 200800152, in which 2008 stands for the year accreditation. Office: Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, London, EC2N 1HN. 

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