Son in UK, should I apply for long term UK visa?

I have a son in UK and was wondering if I could get a long term UK visa.

Searching on the web I hear that long-term visas (2, 5, 10 years) are almost never given and you have to show you have an ongoing need to travel to UK which is unlikely to change in the future.

I have never applied for a UK visa but my son works there and I would like to go on weekends to visit him.

Do you think I should apply for a 2, 5 year visa or just a standard 6 month visa?

Also, do you know if the standard 6 month allows me for multiple entries or only 1 entry for a stay up to 6 months?

visas uk long-term

Best Answer

The Standard Visitor visa is issued for a period of 6 months and is multiple entry.

Long-term visit visas

If you can prove you need to visit the UK regularly over a longer period, you can apply for a visa that lasts 2, 5 or 10 years. You can stay for a maximum of 6 months on each visit.

If you’re applying for a long-term visit visa
You must prove that:

you have a frequent and ongoing need to come to the UK

the reason why you need to come to the UK is unlikely to change while your visitor visa is valid

you plan to leave the UK at the end of each visit

You may be given a visa for a shorter period than requested if you don’t do this. You won’t get a refund of the application fee if you get a shorter visa or your application is refused.

As you note, you have never visited the UK so you may wish to apply for the Standard Visitor Visa, before anticipating the need for a longer period. And, as you prepare your application, refer to the Visit visa: guide to supporting documents.