Visit www.gov.uk and www.ukcisa.org.uk for further detailed information. If you have further questions about this information, you can email us at hallamhelp@shu.ac.uk
You can visit the UK as a Standard Visitor:
- for tourism, for example on a holiday or vacation
- to see your family or friends
- to volunteer for up to 30 days with a registered charity
- to pass through the UK to another country (‘in transit’)
- for certain business activities, for example attending a meeting or interview
- to take part in a school exchange programme
- to do a recreational course of up to 30 days, for example a dance course
- to study, do a placement or take an exam
- as an academic, senior doctor or dentist
- for medical reasons
You cannot:
- do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person
- claim public funds (benefits)
- live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent or successive visits
- marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership - you’ll need to apply for a Marriage Visitor visa
Check if you need to apply for a UK visa.
How long can you stay?
You can usually stay in the UK for up to 6 months.
Read the guidance below for more information about what you can and cannot do with a Standard Visitor visa.
Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If you/your family member are visiting for your graduation ceremony, you can request a letter online through 'My Student Record', or from the Graduation Office by emailing graduation@shu.ac.uk. This will help support your visa application.
If your family member is making a general visit to see you and it is not specifically for your graduation ceremony, you can create your own invitation letter. Please see our example invitation letter. This is an example only. You can also provide a copy of your current visa and a student status letter. You can request a student status letter from your College Helpdesk.
Example Invitation Letter
<Date>
<Your name>
<Your UK address>
To Whom It May Concern:
This letter is to confirm that I am inviting my mother and father to visit me in Sheffield. I am a student at Sheffield Hallam University and am studying MSc International Hospitality Management. Please find my student status letter attached.
I wish my parents to visit me because we have a university summer vacation period. My parents will be visiting me for two weeks and will be staying with me in my accommodation. I am very excited to show my parents where I study and the city I live in. My parents are coming for a short visit only because I must continue with my studies, and they also need to return to their commitments at home.
I miss my family and hope that they will be granted a visa to be able to visit so we can spend some time together.
Yours sincerely,
<signature>