Permitted Activities in the UK on a Visitor Visa

You are given UK Visitor Visa for a short period of up to 6 months. You can enter the UK with such a visa for different purposes. Activities that you are allowed to do in the UK on a UK visitor visa depend on the type of visitor visa that you hold and the sub category of it. Your sub category depends on the main purpose of your visit to UK that you stated in your visa application or the application for leave to enter UK.

Permitted activities on a UK visitor visa

As noted, permitted activities depend on the purpose of your visit to UK. Below is the list of permitted activities on a visitor visa in UK.

Tourism and Leisure

When you come to UK for tourism and leisure purposes, you can visit your friends and family, or you can come to UK for a holiday.

Business – General activities

When you are on a UK Visitor Visa for the purpose of business activities then you are permitted to undertake the following activities:

1. You can attend meetings, interviews, conferences or seminars.
2. You can give a one-off or short series of talks and speeches, provided your talks or speeches are not organised as commercial events and they are not generating any profit for the organiser.
3. You can negotiate and sign deals and contracts.
4. You can attend trade fairs. However, this is for promotional work only; you must not be selling directly.
5. You can do site visits and inspections.
6. You can gather information for your employment overseas.
7. You can receive a brief on the requirements of a UK-based customer, provided any work for the customer is done outside of the UK.

Legal

1. In legal matters you are permitted to give advice to a UK based client if you are a lawyer. You can advise your UK client on specific international litigation and/or an international transaction.
2. If you are an expert witness, then you may visit the UK to provide evidence in a UK court. If you are another sort of witness, then you may visit the UK in order to attend a court hearing if you have been summoned in person by a UK court.

Creative purposes

If you are on a visitor visa as an artist, entertainer or a musician, then you are permitted to do the following in the UK:

1. You can perform as an individual and/or in a group.
2. You can participate in auditions and competitions.
3. You can make personal appearances and also participate in promotional activities.
4. You can participate in some permitted cultural events or festivals.

Sports

If you are a sportsperson then you may do following:

1. You can participate in a sports tournament or event as an individual or as a member of team.
2. You can make personal appearances and undertake promotional activities.
3. You can take part in trials, provided it does not happen in front of a paying audience.
4. You can also undertake short periods of training if they are not being paid for by a UK sporting body.
5. You can join an amateur team or a club in order to get some experience in a particular sport. However, the team or club must be an amateur in that sport.

 Medical Treatment Many people come to UK for medical treatment also. On your UK visit for medical treatment you are permitted to undertake the following activities:

1. You can receive private medical treatment provided you meet all the eligibility requirements.
2. You can donate organs or you can be assessed as a potential organ donor for an identified recipient in the UK.

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