UK Visa Types 2026: Every Main Category, Fee and English Requirement
The main UK visa types fall into five groups: visit (tourism and business), work (such as Skilled Worker), study (Student visa), family (partner, parent and child visas) and settlement (indefinite leave to remain, then citizenship). Each route has its own fee and English requirement, from no test for visitors to B2 for most work visas since January 2026.
Written by Sahil Sayed, CELTA-certified IELTS trainer · Fees and English levels checked against GOV.UK on 4 October 2026
Key facts at a glance
- Visit
- Standard Visitor £135 (up to 6 months) or ETA £20 · no English test
- Work
- Skilled Worker from £819 · B2 English (5.5 IELTS for UKVI each skill)
- Study
- Student visa £558 · B1 below degree, B2 at degree level
- Family
- Partner visa £2,064 from outside the UK · A1, then A2, then B1
- Settlement
- Indefinite leave to remain £3,226 · B1 + Life in the UK Test
- Citizenship
- Naturalisation £1,709 + £130 ceremony
What are the main UK visa types?
GOV.UK groups UK visas into visiting, working, studying, joining family, and living permanently in the UK, plus routes for EU citizens, British nationals (overseas), people from Ukraine and those seeking protection. Most people apply under one of five: Standard Visitor, Skilled Worker (or another work route), Student, a family visa, or indefinite leave to remain.
| Category | Main visas | Application fee | English test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visit | Standard Visitor, ETA, long-term visit visa | £135 (6 months); ETA £20 | None |
| Work | Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Graduate, Global Talent, Scale-up, High Potential Individual | Skilled Worker from £819 (outside the UK, CoS up to 3 years) | B2 for Skilled Worker, Health and Care, Scale-up and HPI; none for Graduate and Global Talent |
| Study | Student, Child Student | Student £558 | B1 below degree level; B2 at degree level |
| Family | Spouse or partner, fiancé, parent, child | Partner visa £2,064 (outside the UK) | A1, then A2, then B1 (speaking and listening) |
| Settlement | Indefinite leave to remain | £3,226 | B1 and the Life in the UK Test |
| Citizenship | Naturalisation | £1,709 + £130 ceremony | B1 and the Life in the UK Test |
What visit visas does the UK offer?
Visit visas let you come to the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family, business meetings or short study. Nationals of some countries apply for a Standard Visitor visa (£135), while others need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (£20). You cannot work or live in the UK on a visit visa, and no English test is needed.
Frequent visitors can get a long-term visit visa valid for 2, 5 or 10 years (£506, £903 or £1,128). Business trips use the same visa; see the UK business visitor visa guide and the UK visitor visa overview.
What are the UK work visa types?
The most common UK work visa is the Skilled Worker visa, which needs a job offer from a licensed sponsor. The Health and Care Worker visa is a version for eligible health and care jobs. Other routes include the Graduate visa for recent UK graduates, Global Talent, Scale-up and High Potential Individual. Since 8 January 2026, new Skilled Worker, Health and Care, Scale-up and HPI applicants need B2 English.
- Skilled Worker: sponsored job, B2 English for new applicants. See our Skilled Worker visa guide and extension guide.
- Health and Care Worker: B2, unless you passed an English test accepted by your professional regulator, such as the NMC.
- Graduate: for people who completed an eligible UK degree; no new English test.
- Global Talent: for leaders or potential leaders in specific fields; no English test. See our Global Talent visa guide.
- Scale-up and High Potential Individual: B2 English.
Need B2 for a UK work visa?
That is IELTS for UKVI 5.5 in each skill. Book a free consultation and Sahil will check how close you are.
Book a free consultationUK student visa
The Student visa is for courses with a licensed UK education provider. You need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), enough money, and English at B1 for courses below degree level or B2 for degree level and above, where your university can assess your English itself. The application fee from outside the UK is £558.
See our IELTS for UK student visa guide for which test and score to book.
What family visas can you get in the UK?
Family visas let you join a family member who is British, Irish or settled in the UK. The main types are the spouse or partner visa, the fiancé visa, the parent visa and visas for children. The partner visa costs £2,064 from outside the UK and needs A1 English at first, A2 to extend and B1 to settle.
UK spouse visa
Requirements, fees, English test and extension.
Fiancé visa
Coming to the UK to marry, then switching.
Parent visa
The family route for parents of children in the UK.
Child dependant visa
Bringing children to the UK.
Family reunion visa
The refugee family route, suspended since September 2025, and the alternatives.
Settlement and British citizenship
After a qualifying period on a route that leads to settlement, such as 5 years on a partner visa, you can apply for indefinite leave to remain (£3,226), which needs B1 English and a pass in the Life in the UK Test. After that you can usually apply for British citizenship. Our British citizenship process guide covers each step.
Which UK visa type do you need?
Start with your purpose and how long you will stay. Visiting for up to 6 months needs a visit visa or ETA. Working for a UK employer usually needs a Skilled Worker visa. Studying a course of more than 6 months needs a Student visa. Joining a British or settled partner needs a family visa. Use the GOV.UK visa checker to confirm for your nationality.
| Your goal | Visa type | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday, family visit or business meetings | Standard Visitor or ETA | Visitor visa |
| Job with a UK employer | Skilled Worker | Skilled Worker visa |
| Degree or college course | Student | IELTS for student visa |
| Living with a British or settled partner | Spouse or partner visa | Spouse visa |
| Staying permanently | Indefinite leave to remain | Citizenship process |
English requirements across UK visa types
Most routes that need English accept a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider, such as IELTS for UKVI, IELTS Life Skills or PTE. Results are valid for 2 years. Our IELTS requirements for UK visas page lists the exact score for each route.
How many types of UK visa are there?
There is no single fixed number, because the UK has dozens of individual routes. GOV.UK organises them into a small set of categories: visiting, working, studying, joining family and settling, plus routes for EU citizens, British nationals (overseas), people from Ukraine and people seeking protection. Most applicants only need to choose within one category.
UK visa types for Indian citizens
Indian citizens need a visa for every purpose, including short visits: an ETA is not available to them. The most common routes from India are the Standard Visitor visa (£135), the Student visa (£558), the Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visas, and the spouse visa (£2,064). Each has the same English requirement as for other nationalities.
In India, IELTS for UKVI costs ₹19,250 on computer and IELTS Life Skills ₹18,000, booked through IDP. See our IELTS for UKVI guide for which test each visa needs.
Frequently asked questions
The Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visas need a job offer from a licensed sponsor. The Graduate and Global Talent routes do not.
Yes. Each person, including children and babies, needs their own visa or ETA to come to the UK.
Some routes allow you to switch from inside the UK and others require you to apply from abroad. Each route's GOV.UK page explains whether you can switch into it.
Routes such as Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker and the spouse or partner visa can lead to indefinite leave to remain after the qualifying period. Visit, Student and Graduate visas do not lead to settlement on their own.
There are dozens of individual routes, but GOV.UK groups them into a handful of categories: visit, work, study, family, settlement, plus routes for EU citizens, British nationals (overseas), people from Ukraine and protection.
Visit, work, study, family, and living permanently in the UK (settlement and citizenship), with separate routes for EU citizens, British nationals (overseas), Ukrainians and people seeking protection.
Most work, study, family and settlement routes do. Visitor, Graduate and Global Talent visas do not.
It depends on your situation rather than the visa. A visit visa has the fewest requirements, but you cannot work or live in the UK on it.
Sign in to your UKVI account to view your eVisa, which shows your visa type and conditions.
Know your visa? Now pass its English test
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Sources and how we checked this page
Every fee, rule and deadline on this page was checked against the official sources below on 4 October 2026. Immigration rules and fees change, so confirm the current position on GOV.UK before you apply or pay for anything.