Should I apply for a standard visitor visa even if I normally don't require a visa because of my frequent travels to the UK
I am a Malaysian passport holder and I am eligible for visa-free visits to the UK for up to 6 months. In the past few months I have travelled to the UK multiple times without any problems. Details of my travel:
- March to April (10 days)
- May (10 days)
- July - September (2 month and a few days)
I'm planning to come again around 5 Nov and intend to spend Christmas and New Year's holiday with friends so I was thinking of getting a return on 5 Jan.
I was wondering if I should apply Standard Visitor Visa because of my frequent travels to the UK. I've had some horrible experiences with IOs in the past and would like to keep the questioning at the border to a minimum.
Best Answer
It is quite pointless applying for a visa in your particular case because the same condition which appears to be currently tripping you up with the visa-free entry is still at play even if you get a visa.
Namely:
Immigration Rules Appendix V: visitor rules
Genuine intention to visit
V 4.2 The applicant must satisfy the decision maker that they are a genuine visitor. This means that the applicant:
- (b) will not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK their main home;
Procuring a visa will not provide relief from that requirement. Basically the only way to eliminate the risk is to either have a very good reason for frequent/successive visits (e.g. business meetings), acquire legal residence in the UK or acquire British or EU citizenship etc. You get the idea
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Do I need a standard visitor visa for the UK?
You must apply for a Standard Visitor visa online before you travel to the UK. A Standard Visitor visa costs \xa3100 for up to 6 months. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel. If you visit the UK regularly, you can choose to apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa instead.How many times can you enter the UK on a standard visitor visa?
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. You can stay for a maximum of 6 months on each visit. If you're under 18 years old when you apply, your long-term Standard Visitor visa will only be valid for up to 6 months after you turn 18.Can you enter UK multiple times with standard visitor visa?
If you need a visa, you must apply for a Standard Visitor visa before you arrive in the UK. Your visa will be multiple entry, so you can leave during breaks and return to the UK using the same visa as long as it is valid.Is standard visitor visa multiple entry?
How Many Entries are Allowed with the United Kingdom Standard Visitor Visa? The current policy enforced by the UK allows Multiple Entry for the standard visitor visa.Work In The Uk 🇬🇧 on A Standard Visitor Visa? Breakdown of What you can \u0026 can't do on visiting visa
More answers regarding should I apply for a standard visitor visa even if I normally don't require a visa because of my frequent travels to the UK
Answer 2
Like most advice given on this site, this advice is contingent on your intention to be a visitor to the UK, and to not intend to live or work in the UK. If you intend to live or work in the UK, this will not work for you, and will almost certainly result in trouble.
That said...
The UK has a Registered Traveller program for which you may be eligible, either now or in the near future. Holding a passport from Malaysia, if you have visited the UK at least four times in the previous 24 months (or if you hold a visa) you can apply for the program. This makes you eligible to use the UK/EU passport lanes and the smart entry gates. You won't have to fill in a landing card, and your immigration interviews (if any) will generally be very short. The cost of the program is £70 per year and you can apply online.
Answer 3
No, getting a visa is absolutely pointless, as it won't give you more freedoms in the UK, nor does it let you stay longer.
And yes, if you lie you will be caught if they dig deeper (which they likely will, given that this will be your second 2-month visit). So definitely tell them you have a Swedish girlfriend.
You need to bring any and all proof of your ties to Malaysia (work, family, property etc.). Everything, even if that constitutes 50 pages or more, that helps answer the question "why would he return home and not just stay illegally, especially since he has a girlfriend here?"
If you're unemployed, you also need to bring solid proof of how you support yourself (including notarised statements from your source(s) of income)
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