Can I extend a visitor visa?

If you are currently in the UK on a visitor visa and wish to prolong your stay, you may be able to apply for an extension before your current visa expires.

Visit visas usually permit visitors to stay in the UK for a maximum of 6 months (visas may be granted for a longer period, but each stay within the overall time period should be no more than 6 months.)

Under normal circumstances, you can extend a visit visa to allow you to stay in the UK for only up to 6 months, including the time you have already spent here.

Exceptional circumstances

There are a few circumstances in which the UK immigration authorities will consider extending your visitor visa beyond 6 months. These include:

A patient receiving medical treatment

If you are in the UK for medical reasons, you can apply to stay for a further 6 months. You will need to provide evidence of the treatment already received and of any future treatments.

This could include a letter from your doctor or a hospital discharge summary to support your application. Additionally, you must show that you can cover the cost of the treatment.

An academic 

If you are in the UK on a visitor visa and wish to extend your stay to continue your academic research or study, you may be able to stay for up to 12 months. You must prove that you are highly qualified in your field of expertise, that you had worked in that field of expertise at an academic institution overseas before you arrived in the UK, and that you are not filling a permanent teaching post.

Retake PLAB test

It is possible to extend your stay in the UK to retake the PLAB (Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board) test. To support your application you must provide evidence of the need to retake the PLAB test, such as a letter from the General Medical Council and a copy of your previous test results.

When applying for an extension of your visitor visa, it may be helpful to seek professional advice to ensure that you have sufficient grounds for an extension and are applying for the most appropriate visa for your needs. 

How Gherson can assist

Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

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