How long does it take to get a UK Visitor visa in South Africa?

South African passport holders must apply from outside the UK before they travel for a Visitor visa to stay in the country for up to six months.

The reason why you want to enter the country will change the details you put on the application. The visitor visa can be for travellers to:

• Travel and enter the UK for tourism 
• Business, studying or academic research 
• Private medical care 

Things you cannot do on a Visitor visa 

• Marry or enter a civil partnership – you must apply for a Fiance visa to do so 
• Work or volunteer for a company 
• Access public funds or claim benefits
• Study for a course longer than six months 

Eligibility requirements for a Standard Visitor visa

For a Standard Visitor visa, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Show you intend to leave the UK at the end of your stay – for example, have tickets for onward travel booked
• Prove you have enough funds to support yourself while you are in the UK and to fund your travel 
• You have proof of any activities you intend you undertake while in the UK – any business meetings, volunteering or studying 
• Show that you do not intend to make the UK your main home through multiple visits 

Visiting to study

Under a Visitor visa, you are allowed to stay in the UK for up to six months for a course of study. You are not able to extend a Visitor visa, so if your course is longer than six months you must apply under a different category, such as a Student visa.

To be able to stay to study, you must show proof of the following:

• That you have applied to registered institution in the UK – you must already be enrolled onto a course
•  If you have been selected to undertake research at a UK higher education institution or you’re doing an additional “placement” module for a course in veterinary, medicine, science or dentistry 

You may be able to stay for a longer time period in the UK if you are an academic and can show you are highly qualified in your field, for example undertaking PhD research. However you cannot come to the UK on a Visitor visa to take up a formal teaching post or work in any other position, only for an exchange or to carry out research within a field you are already studying.

Visiting for business

There are numerous business activities that you can undertake on a Visitor visa in the UK. You can attend business meetings, conferences, give talks, carry out a site inspection and negotiate and sign contracts and deals.

Religious workers can go overseas to preach and carry out pastoral activities.

If you are employed outside of the country, you may visit the UK to do specific activities related to your employment. These include, for example, translators giving translation services and journalists collecting information for a publication or film. The Visitor Rules give a full run down of every activity you can undertake on a Visitor visa.

Visiting for medical reasons

If you are travelling to the UK for private medical treatment, you may be able to stay longer in the country for an additional fee of £220. This will enable you to stay in the country on your Visitor visa for up to 11 months.

Patients that are actively receiving medical treatment can also apply to extend their stay. You must be able to do so before your current Visitor visa expires. You must also be able to show you still meet the same eligibility requirements, you can still pay for your treatment and be able to prove your course of treatment with a letter from a medical practitioner.

You must be able to prove that you:

• Need private treatment for a medical condition
• Can pay for your treatment and will not need public assistance
• Will leave the country once your treatment is complete

Documents you will need 

No matter your reason for needing a Visitor visa for the UK, you will need some of the same documents. They are as follows:

• Your valid passport and travel documents
• Travel dates and itinerary
• Current home address and how long you have lived there
• Parents personal details
• Your income 
• Details of any criminal or immigration convictions 

There will be other specific documents you will need to provide to proof the activities you’re travelling to the UK to do, for example your volunteering, business meetings or studying. This could include providing details of your employer or organisation you are volunteering for or the details of the education establishment you are carrying out research or studying at.

Making an application 

You must apply online outside of the country before you travel for a Visitor visa. According to the Home Office, the earliest you can apply is three months before you travel.

You will need to attend an appointment at a visa centre. It is recommended to give yourself adequate time to ensure you can assemble all the necessary documentation and prove your identity to support your online application. You can attend a visa application centre in one of the following cities:

• Cape Town
• Pretoria
• Johannesburg 
• Port Elizabeth 
• Durban 

Once you have applied, you will usually receive your Visitor visa decision within three weeks by email. Your waiting time starts from when you attend an appointment and verify your identity by providing your fingerprints and photo: this is your biometric information.

Do you need advice on making a Visitor visa application?

The Immigration Advice Service can provide high quality professional services to help you make your Visitor visa application before travelling to the UK. We can provide a one off advice session or do the entire application with you. Get in touch on 0333 305 9375 to see how we can assist you.