Accredited official statistics

Visas

Updated 3 March 2016

Valid: 25 February 2016 to 25 May 2016

Data relate to the calendar year 2015 and all comparisons are with the calendar year 2014, unless indicated otherwise.

Back to ‘Immigration statistics October to December 2015’ content page.

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1.Key facts

There were 534,328 visas granted (excluding visitors and transit) in 2015, a fall of 11,749 (-2%). The fall was mainly driven by lower numbers in Short-term study (-10,981) and sponsored (Tier 4) Study visas (-9,693). There were also offsetting increases in the ‘Other’ category (+8,376, of which EEA family permits +5,324), the family route (+2,983) and for Tier 2 skilled work (+1,365).

The nationalities granted the most visas (excluding visitors and transit) were Chinese (93,076; excluding Hong Kong), Indian (85,403) and US (35,124).

There were 34,719 (+2%) more visitor visas granted at around 1.9 million, excluding Omani, Qatari and United Arab Emirates (UAE) nationals (who were able to visit the UK without a visa from 1 January 2014, following the introduction of the Electronic Visa Waiver scheme). Including these nationals, the number of visitor visas granted still increased by 2% (+35,246), reflecting the usage of the Electronic Visa Waiver scheme.

There were notable increases in visitor visa grants for Chinese nationals, up 22% (+70,415 to 397,764, excluding Hong Kong), and Indian nationals, up 15% (+47,439 to 367,243). By contrast there were large falls in visitor visa grants for Russian nationals (-67,037 to 109,717), down 38%.

2.Visas granted by reason (excluding visitor and transit visas)

Year	Total granted (1)	Work	Study	Short-term study (2)	Family	Dependant joining or accompanying	Other
2011	564,807	149,310	261,870	61,406	44,940	14,155	33,126
2012	507,540	145,110	209,749	68,351	40,149	11,700	32,481
2013	532,050	154,760	218,625	77,601	33,162	11,720	36,182
2014	546,077	167,147	220,041	73,607	34,876	11,065	39,341
2015	534,328	165,977	210,348	62,626	37,859	9,801	47,717
Change: latest year	-11,749	-1,170	-9,693	-10,981	+2,983	-1,264	+8,376
Percentage change	-2%	-1%	-4%	-15%	+9%	-11%	+21%

Table notes

(1) Excludes visitor and transit visas.
(2) The Short-term study category (previously described as ‘student visitor’) allows individuals to come to the UK for 6 months (or 11 months if they will be studying an English Language course) and cannot extend their stay (further details at Short-term study visa. For consistency and comparability over time Short-term study visas have been excluded from study-related totals.

3.Visas granted by nationality

The map below illustrates the top 10 nationalities granted visas, excluding visitor and transit visas, in 2015, which account for 61% of the total 534,328. More detailed commentary on visa statistics by reason and nationality is included in the Work,Study, and Family topics.

Top 10 nationalities granted visas

(Total 534,328; excluding visitor and transit visas)

Chart notes

Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics October to December 2015, Table vi 06 q, Visas vol. 2.

4.Largest increases and falls in visitor visa grants by nationality

Increasing	Change	% Change	Decreasing	Change	% Change
China	+70,415	+22%	Russia	-67,037	-38%
India	+47,439	+15%	Nigeria	-17,533	-17%
South Africa	+11,012	+14%	Pakistan	-12,128	-21%
Saudi Arabia	+6,463	+7%	Bangladesh	-6,638	-41%
Turkey	+2,822	+3%	Libya	-4,064	-78%

Table notes

Omani, Qatari and UAE nationals were able to visit the UK without a visa from 1 January 2014 (the Electronic Visa Waiver scheme was introduced on 1 January 2014 resulting in significant falls for these nationalities).
Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics October to December 2015, Table vi 06 q o, Visas vol. 3.

5.Data tables

Further data on entry clearance visas and sponsored visa applications for the work and study routes (described further in the Work and Study topics) can be found in the following tables:

Visas vol. 1: Tables vi 01 q to vi 05 q

The following tables are included in this volume:
vi 01 q Entry clearance visa applications and resolution by category
vi 02 q Entry clearance visa applications and resolution by country of nationality
vi 03 Entry clearance visa applications by country of nationality
vi 04 Entry clearance visas granted by category
vi 04 q Entry clearance visas granted by category
vi 5 Entry clearance visas granted by country of nationality
vi 5 q Entry clearance visas granted by country of nationality

Visas vol. 2: Tables vi 06 q and vi 06 q w

The following tables are included in this volume:
vi 06 q Entry clearance visas granted by category and country of nationality: Summary
vi 06 q w Entry clearance visas granted by category and country of nationality: Work

Visas vol. 3: Tables vi 06 q s to vi 06 q o

The following tables are included in this volume:
vi 06 q s Entry clearance visas granted by category and country of nationality: Study
vi 06 q f Entry clearance visas granted by category and country of nationality: Family
vi 06 q d Entry clearance visas granted by category and country of nationality: Dependant joining or accompanying
vi 06 q o Entry clearance visas granted by category and country of nationality: Other

Sponsorship: Tables cs 01 to cs 14 q

6.Background information

This section relates to grants of entry clearance visas to individuals outside the UK. Data include dependants and exclude visitor and transit visas unless stated otherwise.