04. What sort of permission do I need to come to the UK?

The type of permission ('entry clearance' or 'visa') you need to come to the UK depends on:

• your nationality;
• why you are coming to the UK; and  
• whether you are visiting or want to settle here.

If you already have permission to stay, whether for a limited time or permanently, you can travel and will have a right to come into the UK as long as you go back before that permission ends.

If you are a citizen of  European Economic Area country, you are free to come and leave the UK whenever you want (see 'What if I am a citizen of a European country?').

Otherwise, whether you need permission (in the form of a visa) depends on whether you are a 'visa national' or not. You are a 'visa national' if you have a passport of one of the countries on a list that is part of the immigration rules. If you are from one of these countries, you will need a visa, whatever your reason for coming to the UK, and for however long you want to stay. To find out which countries are visa national countries, see 'Further help'.

If you are not a 'visa national', you don't need a visa to visit or study, but you will usually need to get permission before you travel to the UK for other reasons (for example, to settle here or for business).

Many visitors to the UK are not 'visa nationals' and include people from the US and Japan, as well as many commonwealth countries, including Austrailia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.

To find out whether you need a visa for a visit to the UK, contact any British embassy or other consular post, or check the Foreign Office visa website (see 'Further help').

If you arrive with entry clearance, this gives you the right to enter, and the immigration officer will just check that it is genuine, and that your circumstances have not changed so much that it no longer applies. However, whether you have clearance or not, an immigration officer can detain (hold) you if they are looking into your entry clearance, or if you are refused permission to enter the UK.

How do I apply for permission to come to the UK?
You normally apply for a visa or other permission at the nearest British embassy or other consular post in the country you are living in (though some don't handle visa applications). You can also download application forms from the Foreign Office website. You will have to pay a fee when you apply.

You may be interviewed when you apply. An interview is much more likely if you are applying to come to live here or to set up a business. Interviews are also more common in some countries than others.

Your application may be sent to the UK for a decision, especially if you are applying for business reasons. If it is approved, the immigration officer will put a sticker in your passport which sets out the conditions on which you are allowed to enter and the dates of your stay. You will usually need to travel to the UK within six months of getting permission, but visas for 'settlement' (to live here) are valid for up to 12 months.

Airlines and ferry companies who bring passengers to the UK make their own checks to see whether you have the right papers to be allowed in to the UK. They can be fined for bringing you here if you do not have the right papers, so you will not be able to get on a flight to the UK unless you have a vaild passport (with a valid visa if you need one).

Categories of entry
The immigration rules describe the many ways in which you can be allowed to enter the UK. The most important categories are:

• visitors;
• students;
• au pairs;
• for work or business;
• members of the family of one of these groups coming to live with that person while he or she stays here; and
• members of the family of a British citizen or other resident, who can apply to stay permanently (see 'What if I want members of my family to settle here with me?')

Business people whose business involves negotiating agreements or going on training courses while they are in the UK are allowed in as visitors, if they only plan to stay for six months or less. If you are not sure whether you can enter as a business visitor or need a work permit, get specialist advice.

From November 2003 a new rule will be introduced and over two years will be extended to cover nationals of all countries outside the EEA. This will mean that anyone coming to the UK for more than six months will need to have entry clearance before they travel here.