Q&As

Are visit visas valid from the date on which the applicant states on the visa application form that they want to travel to the UK, or from the date when they are granted?

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Produced in partnership with Younes Ech-Chadli of Winckworth Sherwood

Published on: 09 September 2022

Visitor visas are for individuals seeking to visit the UK for a short-term period, in most cases up to six months. The rules are contained in Appendix Visitor and Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities. Visits can be for a number of reasons including:

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visiting family and friends
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business meetings
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work
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medical procedures
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short-term study

Not all individuals are required to seek a visitor visa to enter the UK. Those who do not need to seek prior permission before travelling to the UK due to their nationality are known as non-visa nationals. Those from countries requiring prior permission are known

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Younes Ech-Chadli

Senior Associate/Solicitor, Weightmans

Younes was a Senior Associate and Solicitor advising on all aspects of private and business UK immigration, citizenship and public law matters at Winckworth Sherwood.

He is able to advise on all aspects of private and business UK immigration, citizenship and public law matters.

An active member of the profession, Younes was a Committee member and volunteer of the Duncan Lewis Pro Bono Committee that has received national recognition, including winning the LawWorks Pro Bono Award for Best Contribution by a Firm with a London Head Office 2015.

Notable cases include:

Obtaining a Skilled Worker visa and renewing an existing Skilled Worker visa for a Tech company with Sponsor Licence issues.
Judicial review following Administrative Review of a dependant Indian spouse and child of a Skilled Worker (previously Tier 2) where they were accused of deception.
Judicial review of a Chinese businesswoman whose business visitor visa was initially refused as they and their business were accused of deception.
A visitor visa for a Nigerian businessman whose initial application was refused as they did not believe the source of his funds.
Entry clearance and then settlement (known as Indefinite Leave to Remain) soon after for an Australian international sportsperson who had a gap in their immigration history due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
British citizenship for a US head of an international organisation who previously held a Skilled Worker visa despite having significant absences over the statutory maximum.