Overseas visitors

UK Visa and immigration requirements

Departments should not issue their own letters of invitation to honorary visitors without a formal University honorary title request being made. Departments must ensure that they liaise with the College prior to making arrangements for an honorary title holder visiting from outside the EEA.

Departments should ensure that where a title is requested for a non-EEA candidate that consideration is given to the status of the visitor.

Business/academic visitor

A business or academic visitor will need to provide or obtain a Standard Visitor visa. This process may be commenced up to 3 months before travel and can take up to 3 weeks to obtain.

Tier 5 (Temporary Worker - Government Authorised Exchange) visa

A Government Authorised Exchange visa covers you for: work experience (1 year), research projects or training, e.g. practical medical or scientific training (2 years).

• University sponsored (Tier 5 visa) – contact hradvice@le.ac.uk
• NHS sponsored (medical training initiative) – done through an NHS Trust

Dependent visa

Dependent visa applicants may already be in the country. Titles cannot be awarded beyond the period of substantive employment/leave to remain. Dependent visas, once issued, are valid for the same length of time as the main applicant’s visa, and allow multiple entry into and exit from the UK. Those holding a dependent’s visa holders can normally work in the UK in any job, at any skill level, except as a Doctor or Dentist in training, however if the dependent is a dependent of a Tier 4 visa holder and the main applicant’s Tier 4 visa is valid for less than 12 months, they are not permitted as dependents to work whilst in the UK, unless the main applicant is a government sponsored student.

Honorary titles can only be awarded for the duration of the visa or where an individual is undertaking short term visits during the period of request they will be required to meet the UK Visa and Immigration requirements.

For further queries please contact Assistant Registrar (Resources) Lesley Clissold.

Insurance for overseas visitors

The University strongly advises that visitors secure suitable health insurance prior to travelling to the UK. Learn more about eligibility for treatment by the UK's National Health Service for visitors from outside of the EEA from NHS Choices.