You may be able to visit the UK for a paid engagement if you’ve been invited as an expert in your profession by a UK-based organisation or client.You can visit the UK for up to 1 month. You cannot extend your stay in the UK.

Check you meet the eligibility requirements

• you’ve been formally invited by a UK-based organisation to attend a pre-arranged event or other permitted engagement
• the event or engagement relates directly to your expertise, qualifications and main job in your home country
• you’re 18 or over
• you’re visiting the UK for no more than 1 month
• you’ll leave the UK at the end of your visit
• you’re able to support yourself during your trip (or have funding from someone else to support you)
• you’re able to pay for your return or onward journey (or have funding from someone else to pay for the journey)
• you’ll not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home

 ​​You might need a visa to pass through the UK in transit (on your way to another country).

If you’re not going through UK border control
Apply for a Direct Airside Transit visa if you’ll be changing flights in the UK and will not be going through UK border control.
If you’re going through UK border control
Apply for a Visitor in Transit visa if you’ll be going through UK border control but leaving the UK within 48 hours.

If you’re staying in the UK for more than 48 hoursYou’ll need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa instead of a Visitor in Transit visa

• you’ve been formally invited by a UK-based organisation to attend a pre-arranged event or other permitted engagement
• the event or engagement relates directly to your expertise, qualifications and main job in your home country
• you’re 18 or over
• you’re visiting the UK for no more than 1 month
• you’ll leave the UK at the end of your visit
• you’re able to support yourself during your trip (or have funding from someone else to support you)
• you’re able to pay for your return or onward journey (or have funding from someone else to pay for the journey)
• you’ll not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home

You must apply for a Marriage Visitor visa if:

• you want to get married or register a civil partnership in the UK
• you want to give notice of a marriage or civil partnership in UK
• you’re not planning to stay or settle in the UK after your marriage or civil partnership
• you meet the other below eligibility requirements

Eligibility:

• you want to get marrie​you’re 18 or over
• you’re free to give notice of marriage, to marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of your arrival
• you’re in a genuine relationship
• you’re visiting the UK for less than 6 months
• you’ll leave the UK at the end of your visit
• you’ll not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home
• you’re able to support yourself during your trip (or have funding from someone else to support you)
• you’re able to pay for your return or onward journey (or have funding from someone else to pay for the journey)
• you have proof of any other activities you want to do in the UK, as allowed by the Visitor Rules

 ​​You can get an electronic visa waiver (EVW) instead of a visa if you are a national of:

• Bahrain
• Kuwait
• Oman
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates

You must pay £30 for an EVW.
An EVW lets you visit the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, business, study or medical treatment. If you’re visiting for another reason, check if you need a visa instead.
You must apply between 3 months and 48 hours before you travel.
To apply you need:

• your current passport
• an address in the UK where you will stay
• details of your journey, including departure and arrival dates and times

You can come to the UK for up to 30 days as part of a tour group through the approved destination status agreement (ADS) if you’re a Chinese citizen.
To qualify you must enter the country as part of your tour group (minimum 5 people) and stay with the group for the whole of your visit.
Your tour must be organised by an ADS licensed Chinese tour operator.
Fill in the ADS visitor application form online to apply.
Your agent will then arrange an appointment for the whole tour group at a visa approval centre in China. This will usually happen at least 3 weeks before departure.
Before the appointment date you need to give your agent:

• your current travel document or passport
• your previous passports or travel documents
• evidence of your current employment or studies