Recreational Visit
Take a short course purely for leisure while you visit the UK, such as pottery or riding, for up to 30 days of your stay.
- Screening A few questions about your work, your family and your plans.
- Documents A checklist built around your route and who is coming with you.
- Expert review A qualified adviser reads every document before anything is filed.
- Application Every answer is checked against the published rules for your route.
- Submission Filed, with everything that went with it kept in one place.
- Arrival We stay with you through the crossing and the first steps after.
Application fee
£135
GOV.UK, Standard Visitor visa
Maximum stay per visit
6 months
Recreational course: 30 days of that
Visa validity
2, 5 or 10 years
Long-term visitor visa option
Decision time
Usually 3 weeks
Standard service, from outside the UK
Paid work allowed
No
Visitors cannot work in the UK
What is the Standard Visitor visa for a recreational course?
The Standard Visitor visa lets you attend a short recreational course purely for leisure, such as pottery or horse riding, for up to 30 days during your visit. The course must not lead to a formal qualification and cannot be English language training. You must otherwise meet the usual genuine-visitor and funds requirements, and you cannot work or claim public funds.
Who this route is for
The published guidance is for someone attending a course that is undertaken purely for leisure and does not lead to a formal qualification. A recreational course can be run by any genuine institution other than a state-funded school or academy, and can even form part of a corporate team-building exercise. English language training does not count as a recreational course.
Requirements
| Recreational course, not leading to a qualification | You can attend recreational courses, other than English language training, for a maximum of 30 days. |
|---|---|
| Purely for leisure: no formal qualification | A recreational course is undertaken purely for leisure and must not lead to a formal qualification; courses that do lead to a qualification are not treated as recreational and follow the separate study rules instead. |
| Genuine visitor | You must satisfy the decision maker that you are a genuine visitor coming to do a permitted activity. |
| Leave the UK at the end of the visit | You must intend to leave the UK at the end of your trip. |
| Sufficient funds for the trip | You must have enough money to cover all reasonable costs of the visit, including the return or onward journey, without working or claiming public funds. |
| Valid passport or travel document | You must hold a passport or travel document valid for the whole of your stay. |
Documents typically needed
| Passport or travel document | Valid for the whole of your stay in the UK. |
|---|---|
| Details of anyone paying for your trip | The name and address of anyone else who is funding your visit. |
| Evidence of funds | For example bank statements that show the origin of the funds held. |
| Certified translations | For any document that is not in English or Welsh. |
How to apply
Check if you need a visa
Depending on your nationality you may need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa, use an electronic travel authorisation, or travel without either.
Confirm your course is a permitted recreational activity and gather your evidence
Check the course lasts no more than 30 days, is purely recreational rather than leading to a qualification, and gather your passport and evidence of funds.
Apply online
If you need a visa, apply online before you travel and book an appointment at a visa application centre.
Prove your identity and give biometric information
Attend your appointment to have your fingerprints and photo taken and provide your supporting documents.
Wait for a decision
Keep your passport and documents available while your application is considered.
Fees & costs
| Standard Visitor visa (up to 6 months) | £135 | |
|---|---|---|
| Extend your stay (up to a total of 6 months) | £1,172 | |
| Super priority service (extension) | Extra £1,000 |
Fees are set by the Home Office and can change. Source: GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor
Processing times
| Apply outside the UK | Usually within 3 weeks | |
|---|---|---|
| Extend your stay (standard service) | Usually within 8 weeks |
Standard service times published by the Home Office; a faster decision may be available for an extra fee.
What you can and can't do
Permitted
- Attend a recreational course purely for leisure, such as pottery or horse riding, for up to 30 days
- Split the 30 days across your visit rather than using them all at once
- Take a recreational course as part of corporate team building
- Attend a course at any bona fide institution that is not a state-funded school or academy
Not permitted
- Do English language training as a recreational course
- Do a recreational course lasting more than 30 days in total
- Do a course that leads to a formal qualification
- Do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person
- Claim public funds
Duration and extending a stay
A recreational course sits within an ordinary temporary visit, and permission is granted for a period covering the trip. Anyone who wants to stay longer than originally granted can apply to extend, provided the total time in the UK as a Standard Visitor stays within the route's overall limit and the published requirements continue to be met.
If the application is refused
A refusal letter sets out the reasons under the published rules. Standard Visitor refusals do not always carry a right of appeal, and the letter explains whether an appeal is available for that decision.
Common questions
Can I do a short course for fun while visiting the UK?
What counts as a recreational course?
Do the 30 days for a recreational course have to be used all at once?
Can a recreational course be part of a business trip?
Can I do English language training as my recreational course?
What if my course leads to a qualification?
Do I need to show certificates from my recreational activity as evidence?
Talk it through with one of our solicitors.
Book a consultation and one of our immigration solicitors will go through your situation, the documents involved, and what happens next.
Tourist Visit
Travel to the UK as a Standard Visitor for a holiday, sightseeing, or to see family and friends, for up to 6 months at a time.
Read the guideFamily and Friends Visit
Travel to the UK to spend time with relatives and friends, attend family events and enjoy short visits of up to 6 months.
Read the guideElectronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
Digital permission to visit the UK for up to 6 months. Most travellers from Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia need one, not a visa.
Read the guide