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Long-term Standard Visitor Visa

Many people plan to visit the UK on several occasions over a number of years and are looking for the convenience and security of not having to apply for a new Standard Visitor Visa before each trip.

A Long-term Standard Visitor Visa can be issued for as long as to ten years, offering the convenience and reassurance of being able to make multiple visits to the UK over a number of years on a single visa.

Long-term Standard Visitor Visa eligibility criteria

The eligibility criteria for a Long-term Standard Visitor Visa are similar to those for a Standard Visitor Visa or for visa-free visits to the UK.

When applying, you will need to provide the Home Office with evidence that:

  • you have enough funds to support yourself (and any dependants travelling with you) for your whole stay
  • you have a valid passport or other appropriate travel document for the entire duration of your planned stay
  • you intend to leave the UK when your visit ends
  • you are not planning to effectively live in the UK by making successive or frequent visits
  • you have taken a tuberculosis test if you live in certain countries, or have lived in those countries within the previous six months

You will also need to specify how long you wish your visa to be valid: 2 years, 5 years or 10 years. You will be expected to prove that you meet the eligibility criteria for the full duration that you have requested, and the Home Office may decide to grant you a visa for a shorter time if they are not satisfied with the supporting evidence you have provided.

Standard Visitor Visa costs and process

The Home Office fee for a Long-term Standard Visitor Visa depends on the duration of visa which you are applying for.

Applications for a 2-year visa cost £400; 5-year visas cost £771; while a 10-year long-term Standard Visitor visa will cost £963. No matter the total length of the visa issued, the length of each individual visit is limited to six months. If you need to visit the UK for longer than six months, such as for medical reasons, you can speak to one of our qualified UK immigration advisors to discuss your options.

You will need to submit your application no earlier than three months before you intend to travel to the UK. As part of the application process, you will need to go to a visa application centre, where you will be photographed and have your fingerprints taken.

Any dependants will also need to submit their own application and have their own appointment at the application centre.

Check your eligibility for a Long-term Standard Visitor Visa

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.