Today, fewer people attend the UK for medical treatment however, it is still important to note that a Medical Visitor visa can only be granted in certain cases. For a visa to be granted a person must not have a terminal illness and the treatment concerned must be private.

A medical visa is granted for six months at a time and is renewable for the duration of the treatment. Once again the grant can either be for a single entry, or for multiple entries for those people who wish to continue their treatment as an outpatient, only flying into the UK for appointments.

A Business Visitor Visa is often the best temporary immigration route for business people who wish to attend the UK for short trips. As long as they are not entering into any type of work and will only be attending meetings, conferences or auditing work they are allowed to stay for up to six months.

This is a very swift and effective type of visa which allows people to enter the UK without the need for the more formal requirements of other immigration routes, such as those involved in a Work Permit application, to be approved.

A Business Visitor Visa can be granted for a single entry or for multiple entries with a validity of two years. This way a person does not require constant renewals every time they wish to travel to the UK on business. Artists who are not performing can also use this visa to enter the UK if they wish to attend interviews or promote a piece of work such as a movie or a book without needing to apply for any further permits to work.

Benefits
The UK tourist visa lasts for up to two years if it is granted for multiple entries. A person can stay on a visitor visa for a maximum of six months except for medical visitors who can extend their leave to remain if required. As outlined above, the key benefit of a UK Business Visit Visa, or a visa for tourism is that the requirements on the part of the applicant are few. Unlike longer-term business visa, student visas or the Tier 1 visa, this short-term visa service allows its holder to enter the country freely and in the case of business people, to engage in a range of business activities without the more demanding requirements of other immigration services.

Public Funding
To be eligible for a UK visit visa you must be able to support and accommodate yourself without recourse to public funds. You must also intend to return home at the expiry of your UK travel visa. If a person has family settled in the UK an Entry Clearance Officer may question a person’s intention to return home. For a UK visit visa to be granted it is important to note that it is not just your Immigration history that will be taken into account but that of your family.

In the past two years the UK immigration system has been completely overhauled with old immigration routes made redundant and a new points based immigration system introduced.

The new UK immigration system consists of five new tiers that are open to all citizens outside of the EU.

Between 1991 and 2001 half the population increase was due to foreign-born immigration. In 2007 the number of people moving to work in the UK reached a staggering 237,000, an increase of 46,000 on 2006.

The largest groups of people given British Citizenship in 2006 were from India, Pakistan, Somalia and the Philippines. With several Eastern European countries entering the EU in 2004, the UK seen a mass increase in numbers, notably skilled workers form Poland, since there is free movement of labour within the EU.

With the introduction of the points based system the UK now has a more managed migration system to cope with the demand for skilled labour shortages.

Immigrants who can demonstrate they possess certain skills that cannot be found in certain areas are understandably much sought after.

Skilled workers from outside the EU whose jobs are on the Critical Skills Shortlist are especially attractive to the UK and will find their application for a UK visa will be looked upon more favourably.

Skills such as engineering, teaching, doctors and nurses are currently in demand.

The UK is open to young people who might not already possess the skills and experience but would like to visit all the same.

The Youth Mobility Scheme is one such scheme targeted at 18-30 year olds. The UK visa is open for two years and entitles the holder to work for up to one year.

If you want to move to the UK the traditional ways are via marriage, ancestry or work.

A UK marriage visa offers settled status with no time or work restrictions on your stay. UK immigration authorities have changed this route recently as well meaning both parties must now be at least 21 before a marriage visa can be issued.

Spouse visas are issued for a two-year period initially, after which the holder can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

The UK Ancestry visa is open to Commonwealth citizens with ancestral ties to the UK. There are no points based skills assessment like other UK visa routes and upon a successful visa application the holder and heir family have immediate access to the employment market with no restrictions. The visa is granted for a five-year period after which applicants can apply for permanent residence.

Applicants must have a grandparent born in the UK or the Republic of Ireland before March 1922 to be eligible.

Tier 1 General visas and tier 2 Work Permits are other popular ways to move to the UK. For the tier 1 General you will need a minimum of a master’s degree and be earning £20,000 minimum or for the tier 2 work permit applicants must have a job offer from a UK based company already in place.

A tier 2 Intra-company transfer is a viable option to move to the UK. This work permit allows employers to bring in overseas workers to the UK to fill a specific role for an agreed amount of time.