UK Medical Visitor visa

What it is and who it is for

Coming to the UK for private medical treatment is done through the Standard Visitor route rather than through a dedicated “medical visa”. It is intended for people who need private consultation or treatment in the UK for a specific medical condition, and who can pay for that treatment themselves or have it funded.

The route also covers living organ donors coming to donate to, or be assessed for, a named recipient in the UK. It does not cover free NHS treatment or people intending to settle — it is strictly temporary.

• People with a medical condition needing private consultation or treatment in the UK.
• People who have already arranged that consultation or treatment with a UK provider.
• Living organ donors coming to donate to, or be assessed as a match for, a named recipient.

Eligibility – what applicants must show

In addition to the general Standard Visitor requirements (such as intending to leave at the end of the visit and being able to support themselves), applicants coming for private treatment must satisfy medical-specific conditions.

• Have a medical condition that needs private consultation or treatment in the UK.
• Have already made arrangements for the consultations or treatment.
• Have enough money or funding to pay for the treatment.
• Intend to leave the UK once treatment is completed, or when the visa expires.
• Not be a danger to public health — for example, if they have an infectious disease such as leprosy.

Documents and evidence

Applicants must provide a letter from a registered doctor or consultant in support of the application. Alongside the standard supporting documents, organ donors and applicants from certain countries have additional evidence requirements.

• A letter from a registered doctor or consultant confirming the medical condition that needs treatment, the estimated cost and likely duration of the treatment, and where the treatment will take place.
• A tuberculosis (TB) test certificate, if the applicant is from a country where this is required or is staying longer than 6 months.
• For living organ donors: a letter from the lead nurse or coordinator of the UK transplant team, or the consultant in charge, confirming the relationship to the recipient and that the applicant is a matching donor or being assessed as one. This letter must be dated no more than 3 months before the applicant intends to arrive in the UK.
• The general Standard Visitor documents — valid passport, travel and accommodation details, and evidence of funds.

Length of stay, longer visits and extending

A standard medical visit fits within the usual Standard Visitor stay of up to 6 months. Where treatment is expected to take longer, there are two options.

• Apply before travelling for a Standard Visitor visa for medical treatment lasting up to 11 months, which costs £234.
• Alternatively, visit first and then apply to stay for a further 6 months once in the UK, which costs £1,172. This extension can be applied for repeatedly for as long as treatment continues.
• In all cases applicants must intend to leave the UK once treatment is finished or the visa expires.

Costs

• Standard Visitor visa (up to 6 months): £135.
• Longer medical visit visa (up to 11 months), applied for before travel: £234.
• Extension of stay by a further 6 months, from inside the UK: £1,172 (repeatable).

How to apply

Applicants who need a visa in advance apply online before travelling to the UK and then attend an appointment at a visa application centre to give their biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) and submit their documents. The passport or travel document is usually returned the same day.

The earliest an application can be made is 3 months before the intended travel date. A decision is usually given within 3 weeks of completing the online application, verifying identity and providing documents. Medical applicants should have their doctor's or consultant's letter ready as part of the supporting evidence.

Dependants, switching and settlement

This is a visitor route, so it does not lead to settlement (indefinite leave to remain) no matter how many times a stay is extended for ongoing treatment. It cannot normally be switched into a work or family route from inside the UK, and applicants cannot work for a UK employer, claim public funds, or live in the UK through frequent or successive visits.

Family members generally apply as Standard Visitors in their own right rather than as dependants; each person's application must meet the visitor requirements on its own.