UK Visitor Visa for Philippine citizens
Filipino nationals may visit the UK for leisure purposes with a Standard Visitor Visa. Read on to learn the basics of how to apply for a UK visa for short visits.
Need a specialist immigration lawyer for advice or support through your UK tourist visa application? Total Law are on hand to help. Call us now on +44 (0) 333 305 9375 to learn more.
Do I need a UK Visitor Visa from Philippines?
Visitors from the Philippines cannot gain entry to the UK without a valid visa for their trip. For those looking just to visit the UK and stay for a period of less than six months, a standard Visitor Visa will suffice.
A Visitor Visa does specify what activities visa holders can participate in while they’re in the UK. This includes:
- Tourism – a standard vacation
- Visiting family or friends
- Volunteering for a period of up to 30 days with a charity with a UK base or project
- Transiting through for onward travel elsewhere – if this is the sole purpose for the visit, a Transit Visa is cheaper
- Attending a job interview that has good reason to take place in the UK rather than the Philippines
- Studying, taking an exam, or completing academic research
- Taking part in a sporting or creative event
- Attending for medical appointments or treatments
- Attending ‘permitted paid engagements’ – usually for those who are an expert in their field of work and have engagements to perform in the UK on behalf of a Filipino institution or organization.
- However, visa holders can’t do any paid work outside of their permitted engagements or use this visa type for successive visits that would result in de facto residence.
It should also be noted that Filipino citizens cannot use this visa category to give notice of or register a marriage or civil partnership. These activities are covered by a specific Marriage Visa designed for these purposes.
Page Contents
- Do I need a UK Visitor Visa from Philippines?
- Eligibility criteria for a UK Visitor Visa from the Philippines
- Document Requirements for a UK Standard Visitor Visa application
- Duration of stay with a UK Standard Visitor Visa
- UK Visitor Visa Application Process from the Philippines
- UK Visitor Visa processing time from Philippines
- UK Visitor Visa Fees from Philippines
- How Can Total Law Help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
UK Visitor Visa Eligibility for Filipinos: Who Can Apply?
Applicants for UK Visitor visas must meet several eligibility criteria in order for the British immigration authorities to grant them permission to enter the country. For a Visit Visa from the Philippines, the applicant must:
- Hold a Filipino passport that is valid for the duration of their proposed stay
- Be able to prove they’ll leave the UK at the end of their visit (demonstrated through the provision of a travel reservation)
- Be able to prove they have somewhere suitable to stay in the UK (demonstrated through the provision of travel details and an accommodation reservation)
- Be able to prove they have adequate financial resources to support themselves for the duration of their stay (demonstrated through the provision of bank statements or other evidentiary proof).
Further proof may be required when applying for a UK visa if the Filipino national is visiting the UK for medical reasons, to complete a permitted paid engagement, to study or to take part in any professional activities.
UK Visitor Visa Requirements for Filipino Citizens
The UK Visitor Visa application must be accompanied with supporting documents to demonstrate the applicant’s eligibility to the British immigration authorities. They reserve the right to request additional documents at any point during the processing period, but as standard, the following must be included:
- A valid Filipino passport
- Travel reservations or booked travel to and from the UK
- An accommodation reservation for the duration of the stay
- A breakdown of the estimated total cost of the visit
- Bank statements demonstrating enough capital to sustain the applicant during their stay. Applicants should note there is no set minimum financial requirement but immigration authorities will take into account average costs
- Your employer’s details and salary details
- Details of any criminal, civil or immigration offenses
- Your travel history for the last ten years
- Details of any partners or family members in the UK.
All documents must be translated if not provided in English or Welsh. Translations must be completed by a verified translator. If you’re unsure of how to ensure this standard, contact Total Law on 0333 305 9375.
If the relevant immigration authorities request additional documents during the visa processing period, the application is considered paused until they are received from the applicant. This can result in serious delays to the visa application and so applicants are advised to respond in a timely manner.
How Long Can Filipinos Stay in the UK with a Visitor Visa?
A Visitor Visa is valid for a stay of up to six months in all cases but where a visa holder is visiting for medical reasons. If the visa applicant is intending to attend private medical appointments or have medical treatment while in the UK, they may apply for the visa to be valid for an extended period of up to 11 months. For a Medical Visitor Visa to be granted for any period of over six months, the applicant will have to demonstrate that their condition or treatment requires a longer duration of stay.
Visitor Visas can be extended past the initial six-month period in some circumstances. Where a visa holder is present in the UK for medical purposes, as an academic, needs to retake an examination or needs to complete a clinical attachment, they may apply for an extension. The fee to extend a visa of this type in the UK is currently a £1,100 one-off payment and will usually facilitate up to an additional six months’ stay.
If you need to apply for a visa extension, legal support should be sought. Total Law can help. Contact our office today on 0333 305 9375.
How to Apply for a UK Visitor Visa from the Philippines
A Filipino applying for a UK visa need not visit the country to file their application in most cases. While there may be differences occurring during the processing period if immigration services request additional documents as evidential proof for eligibility, the general process is as follows:
Complete the online visa application
The online visa application service is hosted on the GOV.UK website. The completion of this form, along with the submission of copies of any supporting documents is the first part of the application process. A separate visa application form will need to be submitted for each family member intending to travel.
Pay the visa fee
The visa fee must be paid online. The clearance of this payment starts the visa processing period. A visa fee payment is non-refundable, even in the event of a visa refusal.
Book an appointment at a local Visa Application Centre (VAC)
Applicants can book an appointment at a Visa Application Centre once their application fee has been paid. Visa Application Centres are located worldwide. In the Philippines, these centres are run by a third-party private company known as VFS Global. At the visa appointment, the applicant will provide their biometric information (a photo taken and fingerprints scanned) and hard copies of the required supporting documents.
In most cases, applicants will leave their passport at the VFS Global centre during processing.
Wait for written confirmation of visa decision
The immigration authorities will supply written confirmation of their decision to grant or refuse the Visitor Visa application once it has been reached. Whatever the decision, the applicant may then collect their passport from the VFS Global centre.
(If Visitor Visa granted) Travel to the UK
The visa holder is free to travel to the UK as soon as their Visitor Visa is valid.
(If Visitor Visa refused) Decide whether to appeal
If the applicant has received a refusal to their visa application, any appeal route will be detailed in their visa decision letter. If they decide to appeal, they should seek legal advice to do so. Call Total Law for more information on 0333 305 9375.
UK Visitor Visa processing time from Philippines
In most cases, visa applications filed through a VFS Global centre will be processed between five and 15 working days from the date of submission of biometric information.
Where demand isn’t too high and the centre has the necessary staff available, a Priority Visa Service can be purchased for P10,000. This hastens the process to within three to five business days.
UK Visitor Visa Fees from Philippines
The UK visit visa application form is to be accompanied with an online fee payment to cover the processing and administration of the application. The UK visit visa application fees are as follows:
| UK Visit Visa Type | Maximum Length of Stay | Fee (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Visitor Visa | Up to 6 months | £127 |
| Standard Visitor Visa for Medical Reasons | Up to 11 months | £220 |
| Standard Visitor Visa for Academics | Up to 12 months | £220 |
| Long-term Standard Visitor Visa (2 years) | Up to 6 months per visit | £475 |
| Long-term Standard Visitor Visa (5 years) | Up to 6 months per visit | £848 |
| Long-term Standard Visitor Visa (10 years) | Up to 6 months per visit | £1059 |
| Priority Visa Service | 5 working days | Additional £500 |
| Super Priority Visa Service | Next working day | Additional £1000 |
Other costs associated with visa applications include translation fees, copying and printing and travel costs.
How Can Total Law Help Filipino Citizens with Their UK Visa Application?
If you’re looking to apply for a UK visa and are the holder of a valid Filipino passport, Total Law can help. Our team of solicitors specialise in immigration law and work daily to help foreign nationals gain the visas and travel permissions they need to visit, live, study and work in the UK.
Anyone at any stage of the visa application process is free to contact our team on +44 (0) 333 305 9375 for a telephone discussion with a lawyer with no obligation. We aim to communicate jargon-free to help de-stress the process and can guide even the most complex of cases through from conception to completion. Get in touch and make the first step on your journey to a trip to Great Britain today.
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Related pages for your continued reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no set minimum financial requirement for a Filipino national to visit the UK. However, applicants must be able to demonstrate access to funds (either in their own bank account or through the financial support of a third party) that will cover their travel costs, accommodation costs and subsistence for the duration of their stay.
There are two VFS Global visa centres in the Philippines; one in Cebu (Unit 905, 9th Floor Kepwealth Center, Samar Loop cor. Cardinal Rosales Avenue, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City 6000) and one in Manila (6th Floor Makati Circuit Corporate Tower Two, AP Reyes Street, Brgy. Carmona, Theater Drive, Circuit, Makati City 1207). Both are open Monday to Friday, 0700-1600. Appointments must be booked in advance and will only be accepted when a UK visa application fee has been paid.
As of March 2024, the Cebu centre incurs an additional £76.50 fee which is payable at the appointment.
There is no route to transfer a tourist visa for any other type of visa once a holder is in the UK. If you’re not sure of which visa type to apply for, speak to one of the Total Law team on 0333 305 9375 to discuss your options.
Despite popular misconception, the UK is not covered by Schengen Visas. Even when the UK was a member of the European Union (which it is no longer), it has never been a member of the Schengen Zone and so no such visas will be accepted at the border.
A different visa application form must be filed for every different person requiring a visa, but an adult applicant is able to apply on behalf of their partner and/or child if they are unable to do so themselves.
Visa applicants have their travel history checked to ensure that they are not using temporary visas or other travel documents for the UK regularly. Visits too regularly when not covered by a long-term Visitor Visa may be considered an attempt to live in the UK and so may result in a visa refusal.
