Can I Travel to The UK for A Medical Appointment on A Visitor Visa?

Yes. You can come to the UK as a Standard Visitor for private medical treatment or a medical consultation. Depending on your nationality, you may need a Standard Visitor visa, an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), or neither.

Visiting The UK for Medical Reasons

Under the Standard Visitor rules you can visit the UK for up to 6 months to:

• have private medical treatment at a hospital or other medical facility;
• have treatment at an NHS hospital, as long as your own government pays for it under a reciprocal healthcare arrangement; or
• donate an organ to a family member or close friend, including being assessed as a possible donor match.

As a visitor you cannot work, claim public funds, or live in the UK for long periods through frequent or successive visits.

Do You Need A Visa or An ETA?

What you need depends on your nationality:

• Visa nationals (for example, nationals of India, Nigeria, Pakistan and China) must apply for a Standard Visitor visa before travelling.
• Non-visa nationals (including nationals of the USA, Canada, Australia and EU countries) do not need a visa for visits of up to 6 months, but most must get an ETA before they travel. An ETA costs £20.
• British and Irish citizens, and people who already have permission to live, work or study in the UK, do not need an ETA.

All visits for medical treatment lasting longer than 6 months need a Standard Visitor visa, whatever your nationality. An ETA does not guarantee entry: you must still satisfy the Border Force officer on arrival that you meet the visitor requirements, so carry the same evidence you would submit with a visa application. Use the 'Check if you need a UK visa' tool on GOV.UK to confirm what applies to you.

Eligibility for Private Medical Treatment

As well as meeting the general Standard Visitor requirements, you must show that you:

• have a medical condition that needs private consultation or treatment in the UK;
• have made arrangements for the consultation or treatment;
• have enough money or funding to pay for your treatment;
• will leave the UK when your treatment is completed or your permission expires; and
• are not a danger to public health if you have an infectious disease, such as leprosy.

The general visitor requirements are that you:

• will leave the UK at the end of your visit;
• can support yourself (and any dependants) during your trip;
• can pay for your return or onward journey; and
• have a passport or travel document valid for your whole stay.

There is no fixed amount of money you must show. You need enough to cover your treatment, accommodation, living costs and travel, and your evidence should make clear where the money comes from.

Documents You Will Need

Letter from Your Doctor or Consultant

For private treatment you need a letter from a doctor or consultant confirming:

• the condition that needs consultation or treatment;
• the estimated cost and likely duration of any treatment; and
• where the consultation and treatment will take place.

If your treatment is at an NHS hospital and your government is paying, you need an authorisation form from your government confirming it will pay.

Organ Donors

Organ donors need a letter from the lead nurse of the transplant team, a General Medical Council registered specialist or a registered NHS consultant, confirming that you are a donor match (or are being tested), your relationship with the recipient, and when and where the transplant or tests will take place. The letter should be dated no more than 3 months before you plan to arrive. You must also show that the recipient is legally allowed to be in the UK.

Other Supporting Evidence

• a valid passport;
• evidence of funds, such as bank statements, or a letter and financial evidence from whoever is paying for your treatment;
• evidence of your circumstances at home, such as employment, study or family commitments, to show you will leave the UK;
• a TB test certificate, if you are from a country where this is required and your stay is longer than 6 months;
• certified translations of any documents not in English or Welsh.

How to Apply for A Standard Visitor Visa

1. Apply online on GOV.UK. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.
2. Pay the fee (see below).
3. Book and attend an appointment at a visa application centre to give your fingerprints and photograph, and provide your documents.

You will usually get a decision within 3 weeks. In some locations you may be able to pay extra for a faster decision. If your treatment is urgent, explain this in your application and ask your doctor to confirm the urgency in their letter.

Fees

• Standard Visitor visa for up to 6 months: £135.
• Standard Visitor visa for private medical treatment for up to 11 months: £234.
• Long-term Standard Visitor visas (2, 5 or 10 years) are also available for frequent visitors; you can stay up to 6 months on each visit.
• ETA (non-visa nationals): £20.

How Long You Can Stay

Most visitors can stay for up to 6 months. If you know your treatment will last longer than 6 months, you can either:

• apply for a Standard Visitor visa for private medical treatment before you travel, which lasts up to 11 months (£234); or
• come for up to 6 months and apply to extend your stay from inside the UK.

Extending Your Stay for Medical Treatment

If you are already in the UK, you can apply to stay for a further 6 months for medical treatment if you:

• have paid for any treatment you have already had in the UK;
• can and will pay the further costs of your treatment; and
• continue to meet the medical treatment eligibility requirements.

You need evidence from a medical practitioner or NHS consultant registered in the UK giving details of the condition that needs further treatment. The fee is £1,172 each time you apply, and there is no limit on the number of extensions. Apply online before your current permission expires.

NHS Charges for Visitors

Visitors do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge and are not entitled to free NHS hospital treatment. NHS hospitals charge overseas visitors 150% of the NHS cost for most care. Some services are free to everyone, including GP and nurse consultations in primary care, and diagnosis and treatment of certain infectious diseases.

Unpaid NHS debts can affect future immigration applications, so settle any NHS charges. You do not need travel insurance for the visa, but it is worth having cover for unexpected illness during your visit. Ordinary travel policies do not usually cover planned treatment or existing conditions.

Common Reasons for Refusal

• Vague medical evidence:the doctor's letter does not confirm the condition, estimated cost, likely duration or place of treatment.
• Unclear funding: the evidence does not show you can pay for the treatment and your stay, or where the money came from.
• Doubts about your intention to leave: little evidence of your circumstances at home, or a history of long or frequent stays in the UK.
• Previous immigration breaches or unpaid NHS debts.

There is no right of appeal against a visitor visa refusal, except on human rights grounds. In most cases your best option is a new application that deals with the reasons given in the refusal letter.