Visitor visas: Standard visitor

In this section:

1. Overview and visa tool
2. Standard visitor visa (up to six months)
3. Permitted paid engagement
4. Visit to study
5. Science and academia
6. Supporting international visitors
7. Electronic Travel Authorisation
8. Visitor visa checks

A visitor can undertake the following activities providing this is not paid and only for less than six months:

• attend meetings, conferences, seminars, interviews
• give a one-off or short series of unpaid talks and speeches
• collaborate, gather information and facts, or conduct independent research
• sit an entrance exam, re-sit an examination, retake a module or take their PhD Viva
• undertake work-related training if the visitor is employed overseas and the training is not available in their home country
• install, dismantle, repair, service or advise on equipment, computer software and hardware under a contract with the University.

International visitors cannot:

• be paid, fill or cover a role, do work placements or internships
• study, access medical treatment, claim public funds or live in the UK through successive visits.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

International visitors who will be studying or carrying out postgraduate level research in STEM subjects must obtain Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) approval before they start the research. ATAS approval can take several weeks or months and further information is available on the ATAS webpages.

Next steps

• Check whether the visitor requires ATAS approval and obtain a copy of the ATAS certificate.
• Issue a visitor invitation letter (Google Doc) to the visitor.
• The visitor's visa must be checked on arrival in the department.

Useful information and links

• Further information for departmental colleagues is available on our Visitor visas webpage.
• Further information for visitors is available on our supporting international visitors webpage.
• UKVI Guidance: Standard visitor (gov.uk)
• UKVI Guidance: Visit on business (gov.uk)

Should you have any questions or queries you can contact the team at hr-compliance@york.ac.uk.