Individuals can visit their relatives and friends, travel for business or pleasure, receive medical care (including organ donation) or study in the UK for up to six months with a UK tourist visa from Dubai.
Extending Visitor Visa for more than six months in the UK
The UK visit visa extension is valid for six months. Some individuals can extend their stay past this time frame through exceptions in immigration laws.
- Patients Undergoing Medical Treatment
- Academics meeting eligibility Criteria
- Graduates taking part in a Clinical Attachment programme or Retaking the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) Test.
Requirement for Extension of Visit Visa for the UK
To pursue an extension of Visitor Visa UK an applicant must meet the following eligibility.
- Present Situation: You must be in the UK with a valid visitor visa.
- Respect for Rules: You must not have violated any visitor visa terms.
- Financial Stability: It is necessary to provide proof of stability in finances for the length of the extension.
- Genuine Reason: Justification for the extension must comply with the guidelines for a standard visitor visa UK extension.
Standard Visit Visa UK Extension
Genuine Reasons for the Extension of the UK C Visit Visa
A candidate must be able to show the Home Office that they meet the following requirements to be considered a genuine visitor.
- they will depart the UK at the end of their visit
- they will not reside in the UK for extended time through frequent or consecutive visits or make the UK their primary residence
- they genuinely seek entry or stay for a purpose permitted under the Visitor route.
- will not engage in any of the forbidden activities
- must have enough money to pay for any reasonable expenses associated with their visit, including the cost of transportation back to their home or elsewhere, any expenditures associated with their dependents, and the cost of any scheduled activities like private medical care, without having to work or use public funds.
Non-Genuine Reasons for Extending a UK C Visit Visa
- Attempting to extend your stay for work or other purposes for which the Standard Visit Visa is not valid.
- Applying beyond the expiration of the current visa.
Is It Possible to Extend My UK Tourist Visa?
- If you have spent less time in the UK than the maximum 6-month period, you may be eligible to apply for a tourist visa UK extension. If your Visitor Visa was initially issued for three months, you have the option to extend it for an additional three months.
- If you have been in the UK for six months or more with a Standard Visitor Visa, you may be able to stay longer, but only under specific conditions. You must fulfil the requirements for a long-term visitor visa to remain in the country for more than six months on a visitor visa.
Genuine Reasons for Extending a Tourist Visa to the UK
Medical Emergencies
Unexpected events which necessitate an extension include a car accident or a sudden illness. For example, a tourist may be eligible for an extension to finish their treatment if they have a major injury that demands a lengthy hospital stay.
Pandemic Situations
The Home Office allowed extensions for travellers visiting the UK during international emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to travel limitations, a large number of visitors were unable to return home in March 2020. As a result, extensions were granted to account for these extraordinary circumstances.
Family Emergencies
This can be an acceptable justification for an extension if a visitor’s close relative in the UK gets sick and needs to stay to support them. You can also apply for a
UK family visa for visitors.
Documents needed for extending a visitor visa to UK
Extending a
UK visit visa for UAE residents involves submitting the appropriate documentation and meeting the necessary criteria.
- You need to submit passport travel tickets indicating your intended departure date and bank statements demonstrating your ability to sustain yourself financially while in the UK to be granted a UK C visit visa extension.
- Information on your accommodations for the remaining portion of your visit.
- A certification attesting to your tuberculosis (TB) test results.
- If you are extending as an academic, a letter from your employer stating that you were employed in your field of competence at a foreign academic institution before you arrived in the UK.
- If you are extending to take the PLAB test, you must provide a letter from the General Medical Council verifying that you are retaking the exam.
- If the extension is for medical reasons, a letter from your doctor or an NHS expert outlining the specifics of your medical condition and the need for additional treatment.
UK Visit Visa Extension Application Process
Extending a tourist visa in the UK is a complex process that must follow Home Office regulations.
Compile Crucial Records
Gather the necessary paperwork to start the extension of your UK visiting visa, such as
- A current passport
- Proof of sustainable finances, such as payslips and bank statementS
- Verification of lodging in the United Kingdom
- A letter justifying the extension of the UK visa based on the provision of particular papers, such as invitations to formal events, health records, or employer letters for UK business visitor visas.
Complete the Online Application
By visiting the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) website and completing the online application form provided for a visitor visa extension (Form FLR(IR)), applicants can apply for
UK tourist visas online.
Pay the fees for extending a UK visitor visa.
One thousand pounds is the current non-refundable application cost. Online payment is required. It is necessary to make the payment online.
Schedule a Biometric Appointment
Directions for scheduling a biometric appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) centre will be given following the submission of the application and payment of the required fee. This visit is necessary to receive a digital photo and fingerprints.
Provide Supporting Documentation for the UK Visit Visa Extension
Present the necessary documentation at the biometric appointment. Physical copies as well as digital uploads are accepted.
Await the Decision
Although deadlines are subject to change, it is expected that a decision regarding the extension of the tourist visa will be made in eight weeks. It costs an extra £500 to use Super Priority Service.
A Multi C visit visa UK holder must take action before the expiration of their visa. You will be considered an overstayer if you remain in the UK after your visa expires. Overstayers must depart the UK immediately, and their chances of having their future entrance or visa approval denied by the Home Office are significantly higher.
It is important to note that even though work and study visas are the main focus of the
UK points based immigration system, travellers looking to extend their UK visit visa must fulfil the requirements for short-term stays.
FAQs
Which visitor visas for the UK are eligible for extensions?
Extensions of visa for the UK are available to patients undergoing medical treatment, students, and graduates retaking the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) exam.
What will happen if the extension of my UK tourist visa is rejected?
You must depart the UK before the expiration of your existing visa if your application for a visiting visa extension to the UK is rejected. Penalties for noncompliance might include a temporary prohibition from entering the UK again.
Is it possible for me to leave the UK and come back while my visitor visa extension is being processed?
If you depart the United Kingdom while your application for a visitor visa extension is being reviewed, it may be cancelled. It’s best to stay in the UK till the procedure for the extension is finished.
How long does it take to process an extension of a UK visiting visa?
The length of time it takes to process a UK visa varies based on several factors, including the kind of visa you have filed for, the nation or embassy where the application is made, the applicant’s eligibility, and their circumstances. An extension of a UK tourist visa takes around eight weeks. Applicants can avail expedited services for an additional fee.
Are there any specific requirements for children applying for an extension of their UK tourist visa?
A guardian or parent must be involved in the application process for minors applying for a UK visitor visa extension. Additional documents, such as a letter of consent from the parents are required. They must demonstrate that the necessary preparations are in place for their arrival in the UK and taken proper care upon arrival.
