How Many Types Of Visas Does The UK Issue?
How Many Types Of Visas Does The UK Issue?

To realize your dream of working in the UK all you need is a work visa!

Visa is a word which you may have heard a bundle of times in your life. Though, holding one would give a different sort of feel. 

A visa is defined as an endorsement that allows foreigners to enter a country and stay there for a definite period. 

This period could be months or even years depending on the type of visa you choose.

There are various types of UK visas for varied purposes of visit.

 For example, a student visa is necessary to study in the UK. Similarly, a skilled-worker visa is needed to work in the UK.

Here we will discuss all the different types of visas issued by the UK.

Different Types of Visas Issued by the UK

The purpose of entry into the country dictates which visa type to apply for. There are many visa types to choose from. Though, contacting UK visa consultants helps avoid confusion. They help make the process of getting a visa simpler and more hassle-free. 

Typically visas are divided into 5 main categories which includes: 

  • Visiting
  • Working
  • Studying
  • Family
  • Ukraine

All the visas that the UK issues fall within these 5 categories. The total number of types of visas issued by the UK government is 47. Here is a neat breakdown of all the UK visas:

1. To Visit the UK

The first category is related to visiting the English land. Anyone can visit the UK as a tourist, in transit, as a professional, or more. 

These visas allow a person holding them to stay in the UK from one month to six months, depending on the visa you have chosen. 

Following are the types of visas to apply for a visit to the UK.

  • Standard Visitor Visa
  • Permitted Paid Engagement Visitor Visa
  • Transit Visa
  • Marriage Visitor Visa
  • Electronic Visa Waiver
  • Approved Destination Status Agreement Visa

2. To Work in the UK

Many people from India go to work in the UK. It can be on the basis of a short-term internship or a full-time job offer. The economy and the quality of life hugely appeal to foreigners. 

Registered UK companies sponsor these people as their employees to come and work in the UK. The job and the company ought to be qualified for foreigners to work to get a work visa.

3. Long-term Work Visas

Long-term work visas, as the name suggests, are for a long active period. People apply for this visa if they get a stable job from a qualified company in the UK. 

You can even apply for permanent residency once you have lived and worked in the UK for at least five years. The long-term work permit in the UK are as follows:

• International Sportsperson visa

• Skilled Worker visa

• Minister of Religion visa

• Health and Care Worker visa

• Scale-up Worker visa

• Senior or Specialist Worker visa

4. Short-term Work Visas

These visas are for people with temporary work in the UK. It could be both paid and unpaid. There are different kinds of visas in this category but the maximum duration of staying with these visas is not more than a year. Following are the short-term visas issued by the UK:

  • Service Supplier visa (Global Business Mobility)
  • Charity Worker visa (Temporary Work)
  • Secondment Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
  • Creative Worker visa (Temporary Work)
  • the UK Expansion Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
  • Government Authorised Exchange visa (Temporary Work)
  • Graduate Trainee visa (Global Business Mobility)
  • International Agreement visa (Temporary Work)
  • High Potential Individual (HPI) visa
  • Religious Worker visa (Temporary Work)
  • Graduate visa
  • Seasonal Worker visa (Temporary Work)
  • Youth Mobility Scheme visa

5. Investor, Business Development and Talent Visas

businessman signing contract with partner

This is the third sub-category of UK work visas and includes all the investor, business development and talent visas. These visas allow you to stay in the UK for 2 to 5 years. They are as follows:

  • Investor visa
  • Innovator visa
  • Entrepreneur visa
  • Start-up visa
  • Global Talent visa

6. Other Work Visas

The last category includes all the other kinds of UK Work permits that are not included in the top three categories. Most of these are country-specific visas like the British National [overseas], Turkish Worker Visa, Service Providers from Switzerland Visa and more. They are as follows:

  • Service providers from Switzerland visa
  • UK Ancestry Visa
  • Turkish Worker visa
  • Exempt Vignette
  • Frontier Worker Permit
  • Turkish Businessperson visa
  • British National (Overseas) visa
  • Representative with an Overseas Business visa
  • Overseas Domestic Worker visa

7. To Study in the UK

The next main category in different kinds of visas is study-related visas. People looking for educational opportunities in the UK apply for these visas. These visas are valid for the period of the study course in the UK. 

An extension can also be applied for before it goes invalid. The types here are as follows:

  • Student Visa
  • Child Student Visa
  • Short-term Study Visa

8. For families in the UK

Family with daughter holding passports

If you have a family in the UK or a family member from Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, the EU or Liechtenstein, you can apply for these visas. The family visa allows you to stay for 6 months in the UK whereas the permit is valid for 3 or 4 months.

  • Family visa
  • EU Settlement Scheme Family Permit

For Ukrainians and Their Families

The UK has made special schemes for Ukrainians following the invasion of Russia in Ukraine. These schemes allow the displaced Ukrainians to come, live, study and work in the UK for up to three years. These schemes are free considering the ongoing war. Following are the UK visas and immigration schemes for Ukrainians and their families:

  • Ukraine Family Scheme Visa
  • Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme
  • Ukraine Extension Scheme

Hire a professional UK visa consultant 

Mentioned above were certain types of UK visas issued by the UK. Some of the visas were country-specific while the others were general. 

Out of this whole lot, the most popular ones are Student Visa, Standard Visitor Visa, Skilled-Worker Visa and Health and Care Worker Visa. 
It is wise to hire a professional UK visa consultant like Work Permitz for in-depth knowledge about the different kinds of visas and routes to settle in the UK. choose the visa type based on your needs and live your UK dreams.

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