VISA [Visitors Intention to Stay Abroad]

Definition Certificate issued or a stamp marked (on the applicant's passport) by the immigration authorities of a country to indicate that the applicant's credentials have been verified and he or she has been granted permission to enter the country for a temporary stay within a specified period. This permission, however, is provisional and subject to the approval of the immigration officer at the entry point. The common types of visas include: (1) Single entry visa: valid only for one visit. (2) Multiple entry visa: allows any number of visits within its validity period. (3) Business visa: for a short visit to conduct discussions, negotiations, and/or presentations, but not to take up employment. (4) Tourist visa: allows freedom to move around the country and briefly cross its frontiers to another country and return. (5) Residence visa: allows an extended stay but does not grant permission to take up employment. (6) Work visa: gives the permission to stay and take up employment, for a specific job and only for a limited period. Called also work permit. (7) Electronic visa: permission recorded in a computer instead of being issued as a certificate or stamp.

In 2008, the United Kingdom overhauled its immigration law and implemented a points based system for non-European Union migrants wishing to come to the UK to work, study, and train.

The new immigration system is broken into a five tiers that replaced the previous 80 or so routes that existed. Each tier has different conditions, entitlements, and entry requirements for migrants wishing to work in the UK. Five Tiers The five tiers are outlined below. Click each Tier to get more information:

Tier 1: For highly skilled migrants, entrepreneurs, investors, and graduate students. This replaced the previous Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP), the Entrepreneur and Investor schemes, and the International Graduates Scheme. Tier 2: This is for skilled workers who have a job offer. This tier encompasses the previous UK Work Permit rules. Tier 3: For a limited numbers of lower skilled workers to fill temporary shortages in the labour market. Tier 4: Students. Tier 5: For youth mobility and temporary workers, such as those who come under Working Holiday agreements with other countries.

UK Visitor Visas If you are not a British Citizen or a citizen an EU country, you may need an entry clearance before you travel to the UK. The list of countries for which a visa is needed for a visit to the UK is available on our website, as is the list of countries which require a visa to travel through the UK (Direct Airside Transit Visa). Even if your country does not appear on this list, you may need a visa for other reasons, such as getting married in the UK. You should apply for a UK visitor visa at the UK Mission in the country where you are normally and legally resident. You should plan to apply for your travel visa well in advance of your proposed travel date. Some travel visas may be processed in 24 hours, but others may take longer, especially in cases where an interview is required. The process could take up to several weeks. Once you have a valid UK travel visa, you should be allowed entry to the UK on arrival unless your circumstances have changed, you gave false information, or you did not tell the entry clearance officer important facts when you applied for your visa. The final decision, however, rests with the immigration officer at the UK port of arrival.

Visa Nationals If you are a citizen of one of these countries, you will need to apply for a UK visitor visa if you wish to visit the UK: Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Belarus Benin Bhutan Bosnia-Herzegovina Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma (Myanmar) Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Cape Verde Georgia Ghana Guinea Guinea Bissau Guyana Haiti India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ivory Coast Jamaica Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Palestinian Authority Philippines Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Sao Tome & Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia & Montenegro Sierra Leone Somalia Sri Lanka Sudan Surinam

Korea (Dem. People's Syria Rep) Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo

Central African Republic Laos Chad Lebanon

China, People's Rep. of Liberia Colombia Comoros Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Cuba Djibouti Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia Fiji Gabon Gambia Libya Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Moldova Mongolia Morocco Mozambique Nepal Niger Nigeria Oman Pakistan Peru

Tunisia Turkey 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Vatican City (service & emergency passports only) Vietnam Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe