Visa nationals Definition

GLOSSARY

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What does Visa nationals mean?

Nationals and citizens of certain foreign and Commonwealth countries or territorial entities and stateless persons who always require a visa, as a form of entry clearance, in order to be granted leave to enter the UK.

As provided for by Immigration Rules, para 6 'visa nationals' are the persons specified in Appendix 1 to the Rules who need a visa for the UK whereas 'non-visa nationals' are persons who are not specified in Appendix 1 to the Rules. Appendix 1 to the Immigration Rules lists certain foreign and Commonwealth countries or territorial entities the nationals of which always require a visa to enter the UK as do stateless persons and persons who hold passports or travel documents issued by the former Soviet Union or by the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and stateless persons, persons who hold passports or travel documents issued by the former Soviet Union or by the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and other persons who hold non-national documents.

View the related practice notes about Visa nationals

Applying as a returning resident

When does indefinite leave lapse by operation of law?People with indefinite leave in the UK:•have no limit on the amount of time they can spend in the UK, and•cannot have conditions attached to their stay, eg their ability to work or claim social security benefits in the UK cannot be restricted for immigration reasons. For information about conditions of leave, see Practice Note: Conditions of permission to enter or stay in the UKHowever, people with indefinite leave still enter and stay in the UK by permission and therefore remain subject to immigration control.Indefinite leave is frequently referred to as settlement, or having settled status or permanent residence in the UK. In this Practice Note, the term 'indefinite leave' will be used to mean leave with no limit on its duration as defined in Immigration Act 1971 (IA 1971). The term ‘settled’, which appears in various places in immigration and nationality law, has two elements in IA 1971. These are: that a settled person is not subject to any restriction on...

Who requires permission to travel to the UK?

Other than British or Irish citizens (or Commonwealth citizens with the right of abode) a person wishing to travel to the UK generally requires leave, ie permission, to enter (pass border control) and remain in the UK. Other persons who do not require leave to enter the UK are exempt persons (such as diplomats) and persons with a frontier worker permit.The position as regards prior permission to travel to the UK for persons who require leave to enter is changing further to the staged introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) regime which commences from Autumn 2023. The ETA scheme is being rolled out by nationality and is intended to be fully in force by the end of 2024.The current position, prior to roll-out, is that, depending on their nationality, some non-British or Irish citizens require permission in all cases before travelling to the UK and, generally, all non-British or Irish citizens coming to the UK for more than six months require prior permission. This prior permission is issued as...

Discover our 31 Practice Notes on Visa nationals

Visitor (standard): UK business—letter of support

Visitor (standard): UK business—letter of support [ To be typed on official letter–headed paper of the uk business ] [Address either to: Chief Immigration Officer [insert port of entry] (non-visa nationals) or Entry Clearance Officer [insert entry clearance post] (visa nationals).] [Insert date] Dear [insert organisation name] [Insert full name, date of birth and nationality of business visitor as they appear in their passport] Request for entry to the UK for a business visit This letter is provided to support the request of the above-named for permission to enter the UK under the standard visitor category for a period of [insert number of days/weeks/months]. [Insert title and last name of applicant] will be staying at [insert full address including hotel name if applicable]. The cost of accommodation and subsistence expenses will be borne by [this company OR [insert name/name of the overseas company] OR [insert name, address and telephone number of friend/relative]]. [Insert title and last name of applicant] will be visiting our organisation for the purpose of,...

Visitor (standard): overseas business—letter of support

Visitor (standard): overseas business—letter of support [ To be typed on official letter–headed paper of overseas business ] [Address either to: Chief Immigration Officer [insert port of entry] (non–visa nationals) or Entry Clearance Officer [insert entry clearance post] (visa nationals)]. [Insert date] Dear [insert organisation name] [Insert the full name, date of birth and nationality of the visitor as per passport] Request for entry to the UK for a business visit This letter is provided to support the request of the above-named for permission to enter the UK as a visitor under the standard visitor category for a period of [insert number of days/weeks/months]. I confirm on behalf of [insert name of overseas business] that [insert title and last name of applicant] has been working for our organisation since [insert date] as a [insert job title/role]. [Insert title and last name of applicant] will continue to be employed by us for the duration of [his OR her] visit to the UK and to receive [his...

Dive into our 2 Precedents related to Visa nationals

Would an EEA Family Permit, if it is issued on the basis of being a durable partner to a non-visa national, but the status of the applicant changes to married before travel to the UK still be valid?

Would an EEA Family Permit, if it is issued on the basis of being a durable partner to a non-visa national, but the status of the applicant changes to married before travel to the UK still be valid? Family permits for durable partners and for spouses of EEA nationals are issued under different regulations and on a different basis. The Practice Note: 'Durable relationships' and 'other family members' of EEA nationals: definitions and rights of entry and residence [Archived] notes that third country nationals (TCNs) who fall within the category of ‘durable partners’ of EEA nationals are ‘extended family members’ under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016, SI 2016/1052 (EEA Regs 2016, SI 2016/1052) and do not have an automatic right to accompany or join their EEA national family member who has moved/is moving to another Member State. Durable partners may be issued with a family permit, but this is not automatic and is subject to the discretion of the Entry Clearance Officer (in accordance with the relevant EU...

Where a child is born in the UK to parents who have limited leave as refugees, and they have an application for leave in line which is pending, are they able to leave and return to the UK despite the application not having been granted?

Where a child is born in the UK to parents who have limited leave as refugees, and they have an application for leave in line which is pending, are they able to leave and return to the UK despite the application not having been granted? Withdrawal of applications Where an applicant has submitted an application for leave to remain, if they travel outside the Common Travel Area before they have received a decision on the application, their application will be treated as withdrawn (see Immigration Rules, Part 1, para 34K). This is confirmed in the ‘Validation, variation and withdrawal of applications’ guidance, version 4.0, published on 15 October 2021 (Validation, variation and withdrawal of applications): If a person travels outside the common travel area (CTA) before a decision is made on their application for leave to remain, you must treat the application as withdrawn on the date they leave the CTA See Practice Note: When does permission continue—making and withdrawing applications, challenging decisions and travel. There are no exceptions for...

See the 7 Q&As about Visa nationals

Replacement BRP service closed on 26 September 2024 and no more BRPs issued from 31 October

On 26 September 2024, the Home Office amended various guidance documents to reflect the withdrawal of the replacement Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) service on that day, as part of the ongoing move to fully digital immigration status from 1 January 2025. There was no separate announcement to this effect. Details of this development, and of the separate email sent to stakeholders on the same day, are below.

Immigration weekly highlights—16 November 2023

Welcome to the 16 November 2023 highlights from the Immigration team, which provides links to key news stories from the last week, as well as a round-up of new and updated content in Immigration

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