Time limit on entering UK with visitor visa

[Limey125]

Hello all

I was wondering if anyone knows how long a Thai Passport holder is given to enter the UK, once a visitor visa has been issued, I can't seem to find an answer on any UK government sites,

as a side note I've just been issued an Australian visitor visa and I have 12 months to enter.

Thanks 

 

[Will B Good]

There is valid from date and a valid until date......pretty sure you can travel whenever you want as long as the trip falls within those two dates.

[Limey125]

20 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

There is valid from date and a valid until date......pretty sure you can travel whenever you want as long as the trip falls within those two dates.

Thanks for your reply, I am hoping to find the usual length of time from valid from date until the valid until date.

[Upnotover]

The basic version always was valid 6 months, I guess that is still the case.  So the maximum 180 day visit is nearly impossible to achieve as both arrival and departure need to be within the visa validity.  But they can enter at any time up to the expiry date, of course only for an increasingly shorter visit.

 

Of course 2, 5 and 10 year versions are also available.

Edited April 25, 2023 by Upnotover
edit

[hotandsticky]

59 minutes ago, Limey125 said:

Thanks for your reply, I am hoping to find the usual length of time from valid from date until the valid until date.

 

The validity date on a standard visitor visa is 6 months from the issue date (or intended date of arrival if that was requested). The holder can stay for 180 days and the visa is multiple entry.

[Tony M]

The visa has a start date and an end date. It is valid for travel within those two dates, but the holder must leave the UK on or before the expiry date of the visa. So, if the holder doesn't travel to the UK for 5 months after the start date of the visa, then he can only stay one month.  That said, it is possible to extend the stay if the holder has been in the UK for less than 6 months on the date of expiry. If, for instance, the holder travels 5 months after the visa issue date, and wants to stay for more than the one month remaining on the visa validity, he can apply to do so ( in the UK, but only up to a maximum of 180 days stay in total). The cost is around 1,000 GBP for the extension application.

[Limey125]

6 minutes ago, Tony M said:

The visa has a start date and an end date. It is valid for travel within those two dates, but the holder must leave the UK on or before the expiry date of the visa. So, if the holder doesn't travel to the UK for 5 months after the start date of the visa, then he can only stay one month.  That said, it is possible to extend the stay if the holder has been in the UK for less than 6 months on the date of expiry. If, for instance, the holder travels 5 months after the visa issue date, and wants to stay for more than the one month remaining on the visa validity, he can apply to do so ( in the UK, but only up to a maximum of 180 days stay in total). The cost is around 1,000 GBP for the extension application.

Thanks for this, and the extra information about extending, good to know.

[driver52]

 

13 minutes ago, Limey125 said:

If, for instance, the holder travels 5 months after the visa issue date, and wants to stay for more than the one month remaining on the visa validity, he can apply to do so ( in the UK, but only up to a maximum of 180 days stay in total). The cost is around 1,000 GBP for the extension application.

is that price for real? 1000 quid strikes me as a lot when you can do 180 days 'visa exempt 'with the fly in and 2 border runs. ie 30 days each time plus extensions at 1900baht a go, gives 60 days each time x3......I know it's not for the lazy but the cost is only like £133 doing it that way, yeah ok I guess depends on location but somewhere like Chaing Mai is only 60 odd miles to the border in any case, that's a nice bike ride ????

[Sigma6]

2 minutes ago, driver52 said:

 

is that price for real? 1000 quid strikes me as a lot when you can do 180 days 'visa exempt 'with the fly in and 2 border runs. ie 30 days each time plus extensions at 1900baht a go, gives 60 days each time x3......I know it's not for the lazy but the cost is only like £133 doing it that way, yeah ok I guess depends on location but somewhere like Chaing Mai is only 60 odd miles to the border in any case, that's a nice bike ride ????

they talking about extension of a UK visit visa..... ????

[driver52]

4 minutes ago, Sigma6 said:

they talking about extension of a UK visit visa..... ????

good point batman, that'll teach me to 'skim read' ????

PS easy to enter the UK, just get into a dinghy and everything gets handed to you on a plate, including free accommodation ????

Edited April 25, 2023 by driver52

[Sigma6]

I've done a few visit visas now, and I find it curious that you cant request a start date.

The visa approval can take from 7 days up to 12 weeks - so the embassy advises Thais to apply nice and early, which then cuts into your trip time, and makes planning harder.

Either allow a start date, or grant 6 months from date of entry.  Seeme too easy ????‍♂️
 

 

 

[Upnotover]

1 minute ago, Sigma6 said:

you cant request a start date

You can.

[Sigma6]

33 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

You can.

Not in my experience.

The visa start date began from the date of issue, not the according to the itinerary; in our case starting 2 months later.

[brewsterbudgen]

Just now, Sigma6 said:

Not in my experience.

The visa start date began from the date of issue, not the according to the itinerary; in our case starting 2 months later.

No, you can request the date you want the visa start from.

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

The validity date on a standard visitor visa is 6 months from the issue date (or intended date of arrival if that was requested). The holder can stay for 180 days and the visa is multiple entry.

I have done 11 visitor visas for my wife and have never requested anything in respect of validity, they have always been issued valid from just before departure. The current visa is valid from 29/04/23 until 29/10/23, flight leaves 01.15 on 30/4/23.

It may well be something to do with the information provided in the application. Years ago there used to be posts fairly regularly from people complaining about validity being from the application but I haven't seen one in a long time. 

[Paris333]

https://www.siam-legal.com/uk-visa/visa-to-uk-from-thailand-ld.php?gclid=CjwKCAjw9J2iBhBPEiwAErwpeRzSAJiiqEm3YxXotbu2ctdChZN0IMVcdQUZyFozgJgdqMbAnWK9FhoCbiwQAvD_BwE

[brewsterbudgen]

12 minutes ago, sandyf said:

I have done 11 visitor visas for my wife and have never requested anything in respect of validity, they have always been issued valid from just before departure. The current visa is valid from 29/04/23 until 29/10/23, flight leaves 01.15 on 30/4/23.

It may well be something to do with the information provided in the application. Years ago there used to be posts fairly regularly from people complaining about validity being from the application but I haven't seen one in a long time. 

Yes, you have to tell them when you want the visa to start.

[sandyf]

7 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Yes, you have to tell them when you want the visa to start.

I have never told them when I want the visa to start always been their decision.

Varied between 7 and 1 day before departure.

 

[josephbloggs]

2 hours ago, Tony M said:

and wants to stay for more than the one month remaining on the visa validity, he can apply to do so ( in the UK, but only up to a maximum of 180 days stay in total). The cost is around 1,000 GBP for the extension application.

Wow, and to think people on here moan about 1,900 baht.

[Sigma6]

21 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Yes, you have to tell them when you want the visa to start.

And they ignore it like this...... ????

 

 

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, Sigma6 said:

And they ignore it like this...... ????

 

 

Strange, they didn't with my wife's recent application.  However, she stated clearly in the Notes when she wanted the visa to start and we had tickets showing our arrival date in the UK (even though UKVI advise not buying tickets before the visa is issued). 

[hotandsticky]

4 hours ago, sandyf said:

I have done 11 visitor visas for my wife and have never requested anything in respect of validity, they have always been issued valid from just before departure. The current visa is valid from 29/04/23 until 29/10/23, flight leaves 01.15 on 30/4/23.

It may well be something to do with the information provided in the application. Years ago there used to be posts fairly regularly from people complaining about validity being from the application but I haven't seen one in a long time. 

 

I have done over 14 visas for my missus........very occasionally the arrival date is important (I always book flights before applying for the visa) and you are, of course, allowed to apply up to 3 months before the intended arrival date. Those going to the UK for the full 180 days might lose out if a random earlier start date was used. The intended arrival date (and exit date) is included in the application and I am sure most ECOs would use that date; I repeat the requested start date in my sponsor letter.

 

 

On one occasion the expiry date was important because I wanted to make a summer visit and a Christmas visit with the same visa.

[sandyf]

13 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

I have done over 14 visas for my missus........very occasionally the arrival date is important (I always book flights before applying for the visa) and you are, of course, allowed to apply up to 3 months before the intended arrival date. Those going to the UK for the full 180 days might lose out if a random earlier start date was used. The intended arrival date (and exit date) is included in the application and I am sure most ECOs would use that date; I repeat the requested start date in my sponsor letter.

 

 

On one occasion the expiry date was important because I wanted to make a summer visit and a Christmas visit with the same visa.

I have always done the same, bought and paid for the tickets and insurance prior to the application and included the information in the sponsor letter.

What I meant when I referred to information on the application, I suspect the ECOs are more likely to pay attention to what is included in supporting documents than a single question on the form.

Quite often I have done multiple visas, one year it was 3, and always do the UK first as I think having the the UK visa helps facilitate the others. Sometimes the UK application has been made as soon as the 3 month window opens.

It was the year we went to UK, Canada and Germany that I had problems with the German Embassy. They had introduced an online application which didn't differentiate between normal applicants and family members, full documentation had to be supplied irrespective. I took the matter to SOLVIT and the EU made the Germans change their ways, not that it helped us in any way but maybe others.