Student Visa planning for applicants and families.
International students, parents planning UK education, course switchers and applicants who want to understand post-study options early.
Visa Route Library
UK visa routes, grouped by the decision in front of you.
Browse visit, study, work, family, business, settlement and complex-case routes, then see which facts need checking before you rely on one.
Visit and short stay
Start with the purpose and length of the trip. Permitted activities, funds and reasons to leave often matter more than the visa label.
Standard Visitor
Tourism, family visits, short business activity and short study.
Check: Purpose, funds, ties to home country, permitted activities, return intention.Marriage Visitor
For people coming to marry or register a civil partnership without settling now.
Check: Marriage plans, intention to leave, funds, relationship evidence.Permitted Paid Engagement
Short paid expert engagements for eligible professionals.
Check: Eligibility of profession, event purpose, timing, invitation evidence.Transit visa
For travellers passing through the UK where required.
Check: Route, onward travel, documents, airside or landside transit.Study and education
Check the course, education sponsor, funds and family plans alongside what the student may want to do after study.
Student visa
Main route for eligible UK courses with a licensed sponsor and CAS.
Check: CAS, funds, course level, sponsor history, dependants, future switch options.Child Student visa
For children studying at independent schools in the UK.
Check: School sponsorship, parental consent, care arrangements, funds, guardian plan.Short-term English study
For English language courses lasting more than 6 and up to 11 months.
Check: Course type, funds, accommodation, return intention, no switching expectation.Graduate visa
Post-study route for eligible UK graduates.
Check: Award eligibility, deadline, work plan, sponsor strategy, settlement impact.Sponsored work
A usable work route depends on the employer, occupation code, salary, timing and the candidate's current immigration status.
Skilled Worker
Main sponsored work route for eligible jobs and licensed sponsors.
Check: Sponsor licence, CoS, occupation code, salary threshold, start date, dependants.Health and Care Worker
Sponsored route for eligible health and adult social care roles.
Check: Eligible occupation, sponsor, salary, IHS position, dependant limits, extension timing.Scale-up Worker
Route for eligible jobs with approved scale-up sponsors.
Check: Sponsor approval, salary, job eligibility, unsponsored stage, settlement planning.Global Business Mobility
Routes for senior specialists, trainees, expansion workers, service suppliers and secondees.
Check: Correct sub-route, sponsor type, assignment purpose, salary, cooling-off and settlement limits.International Sportsperson / Minister of Religion
Specialist sponsored routes for sport and religious leadership.
Check: Endorsement or role criteria, sponsor, English, route length and settlement options.Talent, founders and unsponsored work
These routes rely on profile, endorsement, qualification, nationality or age rules rather than ordinary employer sponsorship. Flexibility and settlement prospects differ.
Global Talent
For leaders or potential leaders in academia, research, arts, culture or digital technology.
Check: Endorsement route, portfolio evidence, leadership profile, settlement timing.Innovator Founder
For endorsed founders with innovative, viable and scalable business ideas.
Check: Endorsement, business plan, founder role, milestones, settlement strategy.High Potential Individual
For graduates of eligible top global universities.
Check: University eligibility, award date, duration, switch plan, dependants.Youth Mobility Scheme
Temporary work and life route for eligible nationalities and ages.
Check: Nationality, age, ballot where relevant, funds, route expiry and no settlement.UK Ancestry
For eligible Commonwealth citizens with a UK-born grandparent.
Check: Grandparent evidence, Commonwealth status, work intention, five-year ILR path.Family and private life
Relationship history, finances, care responsibilities, children and future renewal plans need to form one consistent case.
Spouse or partner
For partners of British citizens, settled persons or eligible sponsors.
Check: Relationship evidence, income or savings, accommodation, English, renewal plan.Fiance or proposed civil partner
For people coming to marry or form a civil partnership and then switch.
Check: Marriage timing, relationship evidence, financial requirement, switching plan.Parent of a child in the UK
For eligible parents with a qualifying child in the UK.
Check: Child eligibility, parental responsibility, contact evidence, route length.Child dependent
For children joining or remaining with eligible parents.
Check: Parent status, sole responsibility where relevant, care arrangements, funds.Adult dependent relative
For adults needing long-term personal care from family in the UK.
Check: Care need, overseas care availability, sponsor ability, very high evidence burden.Private life
For people with qualifying residence or private life ties.
Check: Length of residence, age, lawful status, evidence, settlement timeline.Special status and regional routes
Eligibility often turns on dates, residence history, nationality or an existing family connection. Older records can be decisive.
Hong Kong BN(O)
For eligible BN(O) citizens and family members.
Check: BN(O) status, family eligibility, residence, funds, five-year settlement plan.EU Settlement Scheme
For eligible EU, EEA, Swiss citizens and family members.
Check: Eligibility dates, residence evidence, family link, digital status proof.EUSS family permit
For qualifying family members joining someone under EUSS.
Check: Relationship, sponsor status, deadline issues, entry and follow-on status.Frontier Worker
For eligible people living outside the UK but working in the UK.
Check: Work history, residence outside UK, continuity, permit evidence.Returning resident
For people who previously had ILR and want to return.
Check: Previous ILR, time away, ties to UK, reason for absence.Settlement and citizenship
When years in the UK are at stake, timing, absences, route continuity and historic records deserve an early check.
ILR - work routes
Settlement after qualifying sponsored or eligible work routes.
Check: Five-year period, absences, salary, sponsor continuity, English and Life in the UK.ILR - family routes
Settlement after qualifying partner, parent or family routes.
Check: Route length, relationship continuity, financial evidence, absences, English and Life in the UK.Long Residence ILR
Settlement based on qualifying long lawful residence.
Check: Lawful residence, gaps, overstaying, absences, evidence history.British citizenship
Naturalisation or registration after settlement or qualifying status.
Check: Residence, absences, good character, referees, travel timing, children registration rules.No Time Limit / status evidence
Replacing or confirming older evidence of indefinite leave.
Check: Historical documents, identity, residence and status proof.Protection, humanitarian and problem cases
Deadlines and legal consequences come first. Many of these matters should be referred promptly for authorised advice or representation.
Asylum and protection
Routes for people seeking refugee or humanitarian protection.
Check: Protection basis, evidence, procedure, welfare needs, legal representation.Ukraine schemes and extensions
Current Ukraine-related permission and extension routes.
Check: Scheme eligibility, sponsor or family link, extension deadline, future status.Administrative review
Challenge eligible caseworking errors in certain decisions.
Check: Decision type, deadline, casework error, evidence limits.Appeal or fresh application
When a refusal needs legal challenge or a stronger new application.
Check: Appeal right, deadline, grounds, new evidence, representation need.Overstaying or status gap
Urgent review where current status or deadlines are uncertain.
Check: Expiry date, grace position, risk, possible route, legal referral urgency.Priority Route Guides
Detailed guides for the routes clients ask about most.
These guides explain who each route is for, what must be checked, common risks and the most useful next step.
Graduate Visa as a bridge to a real long-term route.
Final-year students, recent graduates, Graduate visa holders and families worried about what comes after post-study work.
Skilled Worker Visa checks before relying on an offer.
Sponsored workers, job offer holders, Graduate visa switchers, employers and professionals changing sponsor.
Spouse and Partner Visa evidence strategy.
Married partners, unmarried partners, fiance applicants and families preparing first applications, extensions or settlement.
ILR readiness review before the application window opens.
Applicants approaching ILR through work, family, long residence, BN(O), EUSS or other eligible routes.
British Citizenship planning after settlement.
ILR holders, settled status holders, families with children and applicants planning naturalisation after settlement.
Sponsor Licence and employer readiness.
Employers, founders, HR teams and candidates whose employer has never sponsored or is unsure about requirements.
Global Talent, Innovator Founder and senior applicant route planning.
Founders, entrepreneurs, senior specialists, researchers, digital technology applicants and creative professionals.
Route Choice
The route you ask about may not be the route you should rely on.
Many applicants ask about one visa but need a comparison across work, family, study, settlement and timing. That is why the first step should be assessment, not form filling.