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  • Visit the UK for Medical Reasons

Visit the UK for Medical Reasons

If you need to visit the UK for medical reasons, you can do so as a Standard Visitor for up to six months. 

You can visit the UK for medical reasons to:

  • have private medical treatment at a medical facility or hospital
    • You must be able to prove that you have a medical condition that needs to be treated or assessed in the UK, have made plans for the consultation or treatment, have enough money to cover all the costs, intend to leave the country once finished (or before your visa expires), and that you possess no danger to public health.
    • You must be able to present documentation from a doctor or consultant that confirms your condition, the estimated costs and length of the treatment or assessment, and where it will take place in the UK.
  • have treatment at an NHS hospital, as long as the care is covered by your own government under a reciprocal healthcare arrangement.
    • You will need to provide an authorisation form, issued by the government of your country, saying they will cover the costs of your treatment
  • donate an organ to a family member (for example: a sibling or parent) or someone you are close to, such as a partner or close friend. This includes being assessed for donor match suitability.
    • The person you’re donating to must be legally allowed to be in the UK. If they are not a UK resident, the recipient should also check if they need to apply for a visa before entry to the UK
    • You will need a letter from a registered NHS consultant or General Medical Council specialist from the UK that confirms your relationship with the recipient, your donor match or suitability, and when and where the tests or transplant will take place. The letter cannot be more than 3 months old prior to your intended visit to the UK
Discuss your options with an advisor

How much does it cost to visit the UK for medical reasons?

Visiting the UK for medical reasons for up to 6 months is free. If your treatment will last longer than 6 months, you need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa.

If you apply for the visa before entry to the UK, a Standard Visitor visa for medical reasons allows you to stay up to 11 months for a fee of £200. 

If you’re already in the UK on a 6-month Standard Visitor visa, and want to extend it to as much as 11 months, you can apply for an extension before your current visa expires. 

The fee for a visa extension is £1000. Whether you apply for the visa before entry or extend it during your stay, you are still only allowed to visit on a single visa for up to 11 months in total from the first day of entry. 

When visiting the UK for medical reasons, there is no limit on how many times you can extend your visa, but you will still need to pay the fee of £1000 every time you extend your stay.

Travel to the UK for medical reasons – checklist

If you’re unsure whether you need a visa or how to apply for one, you can seek advice from one of our qualified migration agents below.

Demetris Demetriou

Demetris is a dual-qualified lawyer in the UK (Solicitor) and Cyprus (Advocate) with 10+ years of experience in UK immigration. He completed his legal studies at University College London and City University London. Over the course of his career, he held key roles as Head of Immigration at Legal 500 firms and within the Big4, overseeing teams of 15+ fee earners handling 2000+ applications annually.

Demetris went on to co-establish his firm in London and continues to offer innovative solutions and strategic immigration planning to multinationals, SMEs, and private clients.

He personally represented 1500+ clients in 30+ visa routes including investors, entrepreneurs, innovators, sole representatives, students, family visas, global talent, UK ancestry, administrative reviews and appeals. Demetris has managed corporate relocations, conducted immigration law training and implemented post-Brexit immigration policies for corporate clients.

Demetris has been featured in various events and publications focusing on UK immigration, notably at the Cambridge Network, the Westminster Policy Forum and most recently at DGEMS, a global mobility summit hosted by Forbes India.

If you would like to discuss your UK immigration matter or have any questions about your options for immigrating to the UK, you can book a consultation here.

Tatiani Preifelt

Tatiani has a wealth of expertise in global mobility and corporate immigration. Her ample skills were acquired within leading immigration practices including three out of the Big4 firms in both the UK and Sweden. Tatiani went on to co-establish her firm in London where she continues to advise clients predominantly in corporate, business and skilled work migration.

Having personally relocated to 10 different countries, Tatiani understands the importance of an expedient and successful immigration process and takes pride in delivering a seamless experience to her clients as well.

Over the course of her career, she has assisted over 500 individuals and businesses to obtain the appropriate visa permits in the UK.

Her awarded academic work at The University of Oxford, The London School of Economics, and at The Geneva University is in the fields of Political Science, International Human Rights Law, and Global Migration Governance.

She regularly provides immigration training and has recently participated as a speaker and panellist at DGEMS 2023, a global mobility summit hosted by Forbes India.

If you would like to discuss your UK immigration matter or have any questions about your options for immigrating to the UK, you can book a consultation here.