2 years Long-term visit visa

[kalven]

Hi

May I know how does a long term visit Visa work? if my parents get the visit visa granted for 2 years,can they make an exit at the end of 6 months and re-enter UK after a month again and stay for another 6 months?

Many Thanks

[CULLINAN]

Hi

May I know how does a long term visit Visa work? if my parents get the visit visa granted for 2 years,can they make an exit at the end of 6 months and re-enter UK after a month again and stay for another 6 months?

Many Thanks

Yes they could but this repeated behaviour on a visit visa can result in problems when they ask for a renewal after 2 years or could be questioned at the airport by the immigration official. Visit visas are not supposed to exhibit a pattern as stated above.

For example my father has a 10 year UK visit visa. He has been coming to UK for the last 45+ years almost every year twice or thrice (but not more than 2 weeks each on average). He has never had any problems securing 10 year visit visa (second 10 year visa now).

On the other hand my friend’s father got 2 years visa (after first getting a 6 months visa). They repeated the same behaviour as stated by yourself. They were questioned by the immigration official also. Could now result in problems when they renew.

[kalven]

Thank you

[Zerubbabel]

These multiyear visas shouldn't not be used to "make UK home" by successive long visits. These are the wording of the Home Office.

This pattern leads systematically to visa refusal once the person applies again.

As the previous poster said, keep it short and sweet. Someone from my own family has a 5-year visa. He comes 2 - 3 weeks every year and they never questioned that.

If she stays 6 months then leave 2 weeks then come back, she is not resetting the counters really.

[secret.simon]

if my parents get the visit visa granted for 2 years,can they make an exit at the end of 6 months and re-enter UK after a month again and stay for another 6 months?

If the Immigration Officer notices such a behaviour at the airport, they can (a) curtail your parents visa on the spot and/or (b) deport your parents from within the airport itself. Either of that could lead to a life-long inability to come to the UK in the future as such behaviour will make it more likely for future visas to be refused.

The purpose of a long-term visit visa is merely to alleviate the need to apply for visit visas on a regular/repeated basis. It is not to allow somebody to reside in the UK in the guise of repeated "visits".

I had written in the past about what constitutes a "visit" from the viewpoint of a UK-born caseworker (including second-generation immigrants).

Appendix V of the Immigration Rules expressly states that the visitor "will not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK their main home;" among other requirements.

Other factors to keep in mind are that the NHS will charge any non-emergency use at 150% cost and most travel insurance will only cover the first 28-35 days of residence in any new country (even if you have an annual travel insurance policy).

Also, repeatedly staying outside their country of habitual residence for long periods of time (especially more than sic months at a time) will weaken proof of their string social and economic ties back home, which is a part of the visit visa application, making visit visa renewals even more difficult.

As both @Zerubbabel and @CULLINAN have mentioned above, keep the visits short (few weeks; try not to exceed 2-3 months) in order to improve the chances for future visit visa renewals. You would not want your parents to be denied visit visas for important family occasions in the UK (children's birth, childhood events, etc).

[kalven]

Thank you everyone.

[kalven]

Hello

Thank you for the advice previously. Now that the visitor visa for 2 years been approved, can I follow as below, please?

Visit the UK in 2021 for 3 months (Feb, March, April), then go back to home country for 4 months(June, July, Aug, Sep) then re-enter for 2 months(Oct, Nov) then return home?
this way parents will be in the UK for less than 6 months in a calendar year?

Sorry in advance but, The reason I am checking this is, they are looking a spend some good time with Grandchild as they did not have a chance in the last 4 years.

Many Thanks

[CULLINAN]

Should be okay. But do not repeat the same pattern again (lengthy stays) more than twice. Also, I would suggest they apply for a 5 year visit visa next (before their 2 year visa expires).

[kalven]

. Thank you .. is it possible to apply for 5 years visa before the current 2 years visa expires? I was assuming that is not correct.. Please advise

[Zerubbabel]

. Thank you .. is it possible to apply for 5 years visa before the current 2 years visa expires? I was assuming that is not correct.. Please advise

Not right now, but when it's about to expire. The last month of the visa or so.

[Frontier Mole]

The general rule of thumb... if a visitor is in the UK for more than 180 days in any rolling 12 month period then they are likely to have issues.

The OP suggests that it is possible to visit for six months, leave and return in say a months time. The Immigration Officer is going to query that and almost certainly refuse entry on return.

Calendar years do not reset the clock - hence the rolling 12 month calculation.

[kalven]

Thank you