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Friday, 30 August 2013

Advice for tourists/visitors to the UK

It is not widely known that in some cases general visitors to the UK should apply for a visa.  This is not applicable to everybody who comes to the country as a visitor, but guidelines should be checked to ensure whether a person should or should not apply for a tourist visa UK.  There is a list of countries on the Home Office website that are classed as the homes of ‘visa nationals’.  In order to check whether a tourist visa is required, an individual must check the list, determine whether their status is that of a visa national, and contact an immigration law firm in the UK to help them progress their application.

Who needs what and why

Visa nationals are not the only classification of people that are required to apply for a visa to visit the UK.  If a person is classed as stateless (without nationality), or they hold a non-national travel document, then they are advised to pursue a tourist visa to enter the country.  Any person who holds a passport that is not recognised by the United Kingdom should also apply for a tourist visa.

Those who are not required to have a visa must bring the correct documentation to the UK border control, and if all requirements are not met then it is highly possible that the tourist will be denied entry to the UK.  An immigration lawyer will help a person to ensure that the correct procedures are adhered to.  Although it is not a legal requirement to have a general tourist visa, it is highly recommended that a person should get one, even if they do not have to.  The correct visa will save the visitor time at border control, as entry into the country can be processed more efficiently.

Visa criteria

There are cases where even though they do not need a visa, it is strongly recommended that people with certain backgrounds apply for one in order to help their case to enter the UK as a visitor.  These cases include anyone who has been refused entry into the United Kingdom, or anyone who has been deported or removed from the country in the past.  If a person has breached terms of a previous visit to the UK by working illegally, or staying in the country past the allotted date of the agreement, then their case is compromised, and a tourist visa should be applied for.  If in the past a person has been refused a visa, this will show on record when they turn up at border control and their documents have been registered.  Immigration solicitors recommend that, in this case, the person should apply again for a visa.  If on any previous visit the tourist was asked by a border official to produce a visa on their next visit, and the individual does not do this, it is highly likely that the person will be refused entry to the UK.

Immigration lawyers are in place to help a person with any queries they may have regarding tourist visas, and those with reservations should contact our experts for advice.

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