As a Canadian citizen or a foreign national resident in Canada, you may need a UK Visitor visa for Canadians to enter the United Kingdom for various reasons.
Some of these reasons could be to visit your family and friends, take a short course study, attend a business meeting or a job interview.
Before entering the United Kingdom through a UK Visitor visa from Canada for a business or job interview trip, there are important things you must know about the visa.
You must know if you need the Visitor visa or are eligible for the visa, have all the required documents, and can pay the needed fees.
You also need to know the UK visa processing time and be guided appropriately by an experienced immigration lawyer.
Do Canadians Need a Visa for UK?
The UK Visitor visa is also known as a UK Tourist visa or the Standard Visitor visa which allows foreign nationals to enter the United Kingdom and remain there for up to 6 months.
However, if you need to enter the UK regularly for business meetings or job interviews, you should apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa valid for 2, 5, or 10 years.
Note that for this long-term visitor visa, you’ll only be allowed to enter and remain in the United Kingdom for 6 months per visit.
If you’re a Canadian citizen with a valid Canadian passport you won’t need a visa to visit the UK, provided you won’t stay in the country for more than 6 months.
But if you wish to remain in the United Kingdom for more than 6 months, you must obtain a UK visa that meets your travel purpose.
However, foreign nationals who live in Canada must obtain a UK Visitor visa from Canada before they will be allowed into the country.
Eligibility for UK Visitor Visa
As a Canadian resident, before planning a business or job interview trip to the UK, you must know if you are eligible for a UK Visitor visa. Below are the eligibility criteria for a UK Visitor visa. You must:
- Provide proof of the reason for travel.
- Get evidence that you won’t stay for more than 6 months or remain in the country through successive or frequent visits.
- Prove that you’ll leave the UK when your visitation ends.
- Show evidence that you can fund your flight tickets to and from the UK.
- Present proof of sufficient funds to cater for yourself while in the country.
Required Documents for the UK Visitor Visa
When applying for a UK Visitor visa, you’ll be required to provide certain documents. They include:
- Two passport-size photographs.
- Your valid passport. It must be valid for up to 3 months after you’ve traveled.
- The receipt of your paid visa application fee.
- Passports and documents of your previous travel record for up to 10 years before applying.
- Your employment information such as employment letter, or work contract (if you’re on a business trip).
- Your professional certificate (if required).
- Evidence of enough funds to cater for your needs when you enter the United Kingdom. This could be a 6-month bank statement or payslip from your employer in Canada.
- Your comprehensive travel plan when you enter the UK. It should state the location of the events you will attend and the dates, including the dates you will enter and leave the country.
- Evidence of your ties to Canada and your plan to return once your visit ends.
- Your employer’s contact information.
- Details of anyone sponsoring your business trip (if applicable).
- Proof of no criminal record in Canada. It must show that you have no criminal charges against you in Canada. Besides that, it will prove that you’ll be of good conduct when you enter the UK.
- Evidence of adequate accommodation. It must prove that you already have where to stay when you enter the country for your business or interview trip.
Note that you may be required to provide additional documents depending on your unique situation. Besides that, all documents in a foreign language must be translated by an authorized translator and must also be notarized.
Fees of the UK Visitor Visa
Individuals who want to move to UK from Canada for interviews or business-related activities must pay certain fees to obtain the UK Standard Visitor visa. However, the type of Visit visa you wish to obtain will determine the amount you’ll pay. They include:
- The application fee for the UK Standard Visitor visa valid for 6 months is £115.
- The application fee for long-term UK Standard Visitor visas valid for 2 years is £432.
- You’ll pay an application fee of £771 for a long-term UK Standard Visitor visa valid for 5 years.
- The application fee for long-term UK Standard Visitor visas valid for 10 years is £963.
Depending on your situation, you may need to pay additional fees when applying. Note that if you want to enter the UK with your partner or children, they must make a separate application and pay the required fees. They must also attend their appointments as you can’t do that on their behalf.
How Long Does it Take to Get UK Visa from Canada?
It might take up to 3 weeks to obtain a UK Visitor or Tourist visa from Canada. However, you may experience a delay in your UK Tourist visa processing time if you are required to provide additional documents to support your application.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a foreign national planning a business or interview trip to the United Kingdom from Canada, you must ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria for the UK Visitor visa.
Besides that, you must also provide the required documents that will prove you deserve to be allowed into the country.
For this to be hassle-free, you must seek professional guidance from an immigration lawyer.
Whether you’re entering the UK for business-related activities or an interview, the immigration lawyer will help to analyze your situation, know your eligibility criteria, and gather all the documents needed for your visa application.
Additionally, an experienced immigration lawyer will help prepare you for the Visitor visa interview which will help the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) officers determine if you’re truly entering the UK for business or job interview purposes.
Description: As a Canadian resident, before planning a business or job interview trip to the UK, you must know if you are eligible for a UK Visitor visa.
