Deadline on entry date after getting UK Visitor Visa

[kindhearted]

The gov uk website for standard visitor visa says:

The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.

However it's not clear whether this is also applicable to the long term standard visitor visa, esp. the 5years one. Later in the page under a different title it says:

You can choose to apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa if you visit the UK regularly. This visa lasts 2, 5 or 10 years.

.

I've applied for 5 year visa for my parents and they are about to receive their passports back soon. I've not yet booked the flight ticket. Assuming the visa is granted, do I need to book the ticket within:

• 3 months from the application date (unless the entry clearance date is later than 3 months since application date, but I don't think this practically ever happens).

• 3 months from decision date (or passport received back date)

• Doesn't matter for long term standard visitor visa (does the gov-uk site specifically say this somewhere?)

Any info on this topic is appreciated, thanks!

[alterhase58]

The "three months" relates to when you first apply for a visa.
If you have a long term visa you just use it when you want to and book tickets appropriately, even if it's perhaps six months before travel.

[kindhearted]

@alterhase58, thanks! I'm still a bit confused by your wordings (probably me being stupid) so just for clarification, when you say:

The "three months" relates to when you first apply for a visa.

Do you mean that while applying for the visa, the date that you put for "The date I plan to enter the UK" (or something along those lines in the visa application form) should be within 3 months of the application, but once granted, irrespective of 6mth visa or 5 year visa, you can actually enter the UK whenever you want as long as you enter after the entry-clearance date and leave before the expiry date (or max duration of 6 mths whichever is sooner)?

[alterhase58]

My comment referred to the what you quoted: "The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel."
Once you hold the visa you can travel as you choose when you want to travel, within the visit visa rules.

[kindhearted]

@alterhase58 Right, cheers!