Official Statistics

Entry clearance visas by length

Published 22 May 2014

1. Introduction

This statistical short story provides further information on the entry clearance visas data published in the Before entry topic brief of the quarterly ‘Immigration statistics, January to March 2014’ publication. Ad hoc short stories supplement the regularly published data with other data characteristics and disaggregations; providing further statistical information and context and help meet identified user needs.

Definitions: This short story presents data about the length of visas issued, and trends over time for short term visas (less than 1 year) and long term visas (1 year or over). The definition for long term visas corresponds with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) definition of a long term immigrant as an individual changing their place of usual residence to the UK for 1 year or over. Visa length refers to the length of time that the visa is valid, from the start date until the expiry date. Visa length does not represent the amount of time a person spends in the UK on any particular trip.

Coverage: Entry clearance visas are issued outside the UK to those non-EEA nationals who are subject to immigration control and require a visa to enter the UK, and therefore do not represent immigration flows of all nationals to the UK. The total shown excludes visit visas and transit visas, and includes visas for work, study and student visitors as well as categories for family, dependant joining/accompanying, and other visas. Visit visas allow stays of no longer than 6 months (or 180 days) per visit. Visit visas can be valid for long term periods (1 year or more), facilitating multiple visits. Additionally, those using visit visas are in general more limited in the activities they are permitted to undertake while in the UK. Transit visas allow individuals to pass through the UK in transit (on the way to another destination). For further information see the user guide.

In line with the Before entry topic brief, this short story focuses mainly on visas for work, study and student visitors which accounted for the large majority (85%) of total visas granted (excluding visit and transit visas) in 2013.

Context: The trends shown reflect both trends for different categories of visas and also specific changes to the immigration system as specific categories are closed or replaced, or immigration rules are changed. Some categories are entirely short term, such as student visitors, and others are largely long term, such as family visas.

Quality: The figures shown are marginally different from those previously published up to and including 2013 in the quarterly ‘Immigration statistics, January to March 2014’, as they are based on different data extracts. Further information relating to data quality, and definitions used in this short story, is given in ‘About the figures’ at the end of this short story.

2. Key facts (excluding visit and transit visas)

All comparisons are with the previous calendar year unless indicated otherwise. Figures in the text below are given in thousands or, where appropriate, to the nearest hundred. Data include dependants unless indicated otherwise. Visit and transit visas are excluded.

1. The majority of work (60% of 155 thousand), study (72% of 219 thousand), and family (92% of 34 thousand) visas issued in 2013 were long term visas (1 year or more). All of the 78 thousand student visitor visas were short term (less than 1 year).
2. There was a 5% (24 thousand) increase in total visas (excluding visit and transit visas) issued in 2013, to 532 thousand. This was accounted for by a 13% increase in short term visas (less than 1 year), alongside a 1% fall in long term visas: * Short term visas increased by 27 thousand to 235 thousand, mainly accounted for by student visitor visas (up by nine thousand), short term study visas (up by nine thousand), and short term work visas (up by five thousand); * Long term visas fell by three thousand to 297 thousand, largely accounted for by a fall in family visas (down by seven thousand), partially offset by a rise in long term work visas (up by five thousand).
3. Student visitor visas are issued with a maximum length of 6 months to study a short course or 11 months for an English language course; visas for both types of course contributed to the 13% (nine thousand) increase in student visitor visas issued in 2013.
4. The increase of five thousand in short term (less than 1 year) work visas was largely accounted for by: * a five thousand increase in the number of short term (less than 1 year) skilled worker Intra-company Transfer visas; * an increase of over one thousand visas for overseas domestic workers (all of which are short term); * a fall of two thousand in short term Tier 1 General visas (due to the closure of the route).
5. Long term visas (1 year or more) accounted for between 67% and 71% of total visas (excluding visit and transit visas) issued from 2005 to 2010, but have since fallen to 66% in 2011, 59% in 2012 and 56% in 2013.

3. Long term trends in visas issued by length (excluding visit and transit visas)

As the chart below indicates, trends in long term visas (1 year or more) follow a similar trend to the International Passenger Survey (IPS) estimates of the number of long term non-EU immigrants. The IPS estimates the number of individuals changing their place of usual residence to the UK for 1 year or over based on their stated intentions.

3.1 Chart 1: Long term and short term visas issued (excluding visit and transit visas)

The chart shows that the number of long term (1 year or more) visas issued is higher than the IPS estimates of how many people entered the UK with an intention to stay for 1 year or more, who were resident outside the UK for the previous 12 months. This is likely to be due to a range of factors, for example:

• some individuals may obtain a visa but do not then travel to the UK;
• some individuals may obtain visas that are longer than their intended stay e.g. because of uncertainty on exactly how long they will wish to stay;
• dependants who are named on the visa application of a main applicant are granted the same length of visa as the main applicant; however some of these dependants may intend to stay for a shorter period than the main applicant, for example choosing to arrive later or leave earlier.

As chart 1 above shows, the numbers of long term visas (1 year or more) have fallen since 2010, while the number of short term visas (less than 1 year) has risen; hence the long term visas share of total visas (excluding visit and transit visas) issued has been falling. Long term visas accounted for between 67% and 71% of total visas (excluding visit and transit visas) issued from 2005 to 2010, and then fell to 66% in 2011,59% in 2012 and 56% in 2013.

The fall since 2010 in the proportion of total visas (excluding visit and transit visas) that were long term (1 year or more) is accounted for by multiple factors, such as:

• falling numbers of family visas, which are typically long term; these fell from 9% of the total in 2010 to 6% in 2013;
• closure of the Tier 1 (General) category, which had fixed visa lengths, in favour of Tier 2, where visa length depends on the length of the job on offer in the UK;
• higher numbers of (short term) student visitor visas issued, which have a maximum length of 6 months to study a short course or 11 months for English language course, up from 49 thousand in 2010 to 78 thousand in 2013;
• higher numbers of (short term) visas being issued for intra-company transfer, which have grown from 11 thousand in 2011 to 27 thousand in 2013.

4. Visas by purpose and length

4.1 Chart 2: Visas issued in 2013 by purpose and length (excluding visit and transit visas) ⁽¹⁾

4.2 Table 1: Visas issued in 2013, by purpose and length (excluding visit and transit visas) ⁽¹⁾

Chart/Table notes:
(1) The total shown excludes visit and transit visas and includes visas for work, study and student visitors as well as categories for family, dependant joining/accompanying, and other visas, corresponding to the Before entry topic brief. Hence the columns for Work, Study, Student Visitors do not sum to the total shown. For further information see the user guide.
(2) The student visitor category was introduced in September 2007. Student visitors are allowed 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. The figures shown include those who applied on the ‘Short-term student’ endorsement prior to the introduction of the student visitor category. For consistency and comparability over time, student visitor visas have been excluded from study-related totals.
(3)Totals may not match sums of rows or columns due to rounding. The figures shown are marginally different from those previously published up to and including 2013 in Before entry topic tables as they are based on a more recent data extract.
(4) Corresponding data for previous years is included in the ‘Entry clearance visas by length: table’.

5. Work

Following the introduction of the Points Based System, which began in 2008, visas for work are generally based on the length of the contract, where appropriate. Visas issued under different categories allow different maximum lengths of stay.

5.1 Short term work visas

40% of the 155 thousand work visas issued in 2013 were short term (less than 1 year).

Most of the eight thousand work visas issued for ‘Less than 3 months’ were in the Tier 5 Creative and Sporting category (five thousand) or Tier 5 Government authorised exchanges (one thousand). The majority of the 25 thousand visas issued for ‘3 months to less than 6 months’ were for overseas domestic workers (17 thousand) and Intra-company transfers (five thousand). Overseas domestic worker visas allow individuals to stay for up to 6 months (see Domestic Workers in a Private Household visa). Intra-company transfers also accounted for the large majority of visas issued for lengths ‘6 months to less than 1 year’ (22 thousand, or 75%).

The top five nationalities collectively accounting for 72% of the 62 thousand short term (less than 1 year) work visas issued in 2013 were India (30 thousand or 48%), Philippines (eight thousand or 12%), United States (three thousand or 6%), Russia (two thousand or 3%) and Indonesia (two thousand or 3%):

• the large majority of the short term visas issued to Indians were for Intra-Company Transfers (24 thousand), and almost all the short term visas issued to Philippines and Indonesian nationals were overseas domestic worker visas (seven thousand and two thousand respectively);
• by contrast, most short term visas issued to Russians were in the Creative and Sporting category (1,800). Over half of the visas issued to United States nationals were Tier 5 Youth and temporary workers (1,900 including 1,100 in Government Authorised Exchange schemes) with most of the remainder being Intra-Company Transfers (1,300).

5.2 Long term work visas

In 2013, 60% of the 155 thousand work visas issued were long term (1 year or more).

The 20 thousand work visas of length ‘1 year to less than 2 years’ were issued for a variety of reasons, including skilled work sponsored by an employer (12 thousand), youth mobility and temporary work (five thousand) and high value individuals (three thousand).

Work visas of length ‘2 years to less than 3 years’ included similar numbers for skilled work (15 thousand) and high value workers (two thousand), but a much higher number of Youth Mobility and Temporary Work visas (23 thousand), of which 21 thousand were in the Youth Mobility category. Youth Mobility visas allow individuals from certain countries, aged 18 to 30, to come to live and work in the UK for 2 years or less, subject to meeting savings and eligibility criteria (see Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) visa).

The 29 thousand work visas of length ‘3 years to less than 4 years’ were largely accounted for by skilled work (24 thousand) and high value (four thousand) categories (the latter is known as ‘Tier 1’). The Tier 1 Entrepreneur and Tier 1 Investor categories generally allow individuals to stay for a maximum of 3 years and 4 months (see Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa and Tier 1 (Investor) visa).

The 4,300 visas of 4 years or more almost entirely consisted of UK Ancestry visas (4,200). UK Ancestry visas allow Commonwealth citizens to stay in the UK for 5 years, subject to proving that one of their grandparents was born in the UK, being able and planning to work in the UK, and meeting other eligibility criteria. (See UK Ancestry visa).

The top five nationalities collectively accounting for 66% of the 93 thousand long term (1 year and over) work visas issued in 2013 were India (24 thousand or 26%), Australia (15 thousand or 16%), United States (12 thousand or 12%), Canada (six thousand or 6%) and New Zealand (five thousand or 5%):

• most of the long term visas issued to Indian and USA nationals were either Intra Company transfers or other skilled work (Tier 2) visas (15 thousand ICT visas and six thousand other Tier 2 visas to Indians; correspondingly five thousand ICT visas and a further four thousand other Tier 2 visas to USA nationals);
• by comparison most long term visas issued to Australian, Canadian and New Zealand nationals were in the Youth Mobility category (respectively 11 thousand, four thousand and four thousand).

The ‘Migrant journey: fourth report’ describes the progress of individuals through the immigration system. For example, 9% of migrants issued skilled work visas (with a potential path to settlement) in 2007 appear to have had some form of valid leave to remain five years later and a further 25% had been granted permission to stay permanently (settlement). For those issued temporary work visas (not leading to settlement) in 2007, the corresponding proportions were much lower, at 5% and 2%, respectively.

6. Study (excluding Student visitors)

Following the introduction of the Points Based System which began in 2008, visas for study are generally based on the length of the course.

6.1 Short term study visas

In 2013, 28% of the 219 thousand study visas issued were short term (less than 1 year).

The top five nationalities collectively accounting for 61% of the 62 thousand short term (less than 1 year) study visas issued in 2013 were China (26 thousand or 41%), United States (six thousand or 10%), Saudi Arabia (two thousand or 4%), Iraq (two thousand or 3%) and Hong Kong (two thousand or 3%).

6.2 Long term study visas

In 2013, 72% of the 219 thousand study visas issued were long term (1 year or more). This is likely to reflect the high proportion (80%) of sponsored applications for study in 2013 which are accounted for by the university sector (Higher Education Institutions) (Source, Before Entry table cs_09, volume 1).

The top five nationalities accounting for 49% of the 156 thousand long term (1 year or more) study visas issued in 2013 were China (37 thousand or 24%), India (12 thousand or 8%), Nigeria (11 thousand or 7%), Malaysia (nine thousand or 5%) and United States (eight thousand or 5%).

It is also the case that length of visa does not provide a full account of how long individuals stay within the immigration system, or the final outcome of their journey through the immigration system. For example, some students obtain extensions, possibly to study at a higher level (see the Extensions topic) and others may obtain settlement via other routes.

The ‘Migrant journey: fourth report’ describes the progress of individuals through the immigration system. For example 14% of migrants issued student visas in 2007 appear to have had some form of valid leave to remain and a further 1% had been granted permission to stay permanently (settlement) five years after their initial arrival as students.

7. Student visitors

Student visitor visas are issued for 6 months to study a short course, or 11 months for an English language course, and cannot be extended. (See Student Visitor visa).

In 2013, 65 thousand (83%) student visitor visas had lengths less than 6 months and 13 thousand (17%) were valid for 6-11 months. A full report on the student visitor route is available at ‘Student visitors’.

8. About the figures

Data corresponding to Table 1 for previous years is included in the ‘Entry clearance visas by length: table’.

Visa length has been calculated based on the number of days that a visa is valid, from the start date until the expiry date. The visa length categories account for leap years; they include lower limits and exclude upper limits. For example, the ‘1 year to less than 2 years’ category shown in Table 1 includes visas issued for exactly one year (365 or 366 days) and visas less than 2 years, but excludes visas issued for exactly two years (730 or 731 days).

When interpreting the data, it is important to understand that the length of the visa does not directly equate to how long an individual actually stays. This is because most visas allow the holder to enter and leave the UK multiple times until the visa has expired and is known as “multiple entry”. A person may also leave the UK before a visa expires or arrive some time after its start date. Additionally some individuals subsequently obtain an extension of stay whilst in the UK, where permitted (see the Extensions topic). However, visa length data may provide an indication of the intended length of stay, particularly for the shorter length visas where factors such as length of course or contract strongly influence the expiry date of the visa granted.

Following the introduction of the Points Based System, which began in 2008, work and study visas have generally been based on the length of the contract or the course, as appropriate. Family visas provide a route to permanent stay (settlement) in the UK, typically following a minimum probationary period of at least 5 years for spouses and partners (for cases dealt with under the new rules). Family visas are, for the most part, valid for 33 months and suggest an intention to stay beyond such a period (see the Settlement topic). By contrast, student visitor visas are mostly issued with a maximum length of 6 months to study a short course, or in some cases for 11 months for study on an English language course, and cannot be extended.

Obtaining a visa requires applicants to pay a fee, and considerable attention is given to ensure that visas of the correct length are issued, to match fees paid. The data used in this analysis are therefore considered to be reliable and of high quality.

It is important to understand that the numbers of visas granted do not equate directly to the numbers of passenger journeys, firstly due to multiple entry visas, and secondly because some individuals may choose not to travel.

8.1 Definitions of categories

The Total shown excludes visit and transit visas, and includes work, study, student visitor visas shown as well as categories for family, dependant joining/accompanying, and other visas, corresponding to the Before entry topic brief. For further information see the user guide.

Work: From 2008, the Points-based system (PBS) in part rationalised the immigration control processes for people coming into the UK for work, four of the five Tiers (Tiers 1, 2, 3 and 5) relate to permission to work:

• Tier 1 provides a route for high value individuals;
• Tier 2 provides a route for skilled workers with a job offer;
• Tier 3 relates to unskilled workers (never implemented);
• Tier 5 is for temporary workers and youth mobility

The figures shown for work include visas issued under Tiers 1, 2, 5 and pre-PBS equivalents, as well as data for work categories which were not incorporated into the PBS in particular overseas domestic workers (17 thousand visas issued in 2013) and the UK Ancestry route (four thousand visas issued in 2013).

Study: The points-based system (PBS) in part rationalised the immigration control processes for people coming into the UK for study. The PBS has five “tiers”, one of which (Tier 4) provides a route for students to study with an approved education provider. Tier 4 was implemented in March 2009. Data shown for Study includes visas issued under Tiers 4 and pre-PBS equivalents.

Student visitor: The student visitor provisions allow for individuals to come to the UK to undertake short courses/periods of no more than six months at a specified type of educational institution. Unlike Tier 4 this study can be at any level and does not have to lead to a qualification.

In addition to the six month route there is a concession for those studying English language courses longer than six months in duration, which allows individuals to study on English language courses up to 11 months in duration. The intention of these provisions is to enable an individual to study up to the level required to qualify for Tier 4 of the points-based system.

The Family route covers visas where an individual is applying for a visa on the basis of their relationship to a person settled in the UK or a British citizen. The Family route: child includes adult offspring of the settled person or British citizen. The Family route: other encompasses dependants who are not offspring or partners, such as elderly relatives.

The family route statistics now also include:

• (following changes to the rules from July 2012), ‘post-flight’ family members and adult dependant relatives joining those who have been granted refugee status or humanitarian protection within and without grant of settlement;
• family members of those granted refugee status and who had gained settlement, or who had yet to gain settlement status if the individual coming to the country applied for a visa prior to the second quarter of 2011.

The data shown in this short story (and the corresponding total in Table 1) include family visas granted under the old (pre-July 2012) and new rules.

Family visas provide a route to permanent stay (settlement) in the UK. For cases dealt with under the new rules it is possible to apply for permanent stay after a minimum probationary period of at least 5 years for spouses and partners. In 2013, there were 34 thousand family visas issued, of which 31 thousand (92%) were long term (1 year or more including 30 thousand visas issued that were 2 years or longer, reflecting the standard visa grant of standard visa grant of 27 months (old rules) or 33 months (new rules). Of the three thousand short term (less than 1 year) family visas, the majority (2,400 thousand) were fiancé(e) and proposed civil partner visas.

8.2 Coverage

Transit visas and visit visas are not included in this short article. Visit visas differ from the work, study and student visitor categories described above in Table 1 in a number of ways. In particular, most visit visas permit stays of no longer than 6 months (or 180 days) per visit, although they are often valid for long term periods (1 year or more), facilitating multiple visits. Additionally, visitors are in general more limited in the activities they are permitted to undertake while in the UK. There were 1.94 million visit visas issued in 2013, of which the large majority (83%) were issued with a length of less than 6 months, mainly with lengths of 3-6 months (1.55 million or 80% of the total).

Transit visas are needed by some individuals in order to pass through the UK in transit. To be granted a transit visa individuals must be:

• in transit to another country with enough funds and the intention to travel on;
• able to prove they can enter that country;
• able to show that the only purpose of their visit to the UK is transit.

Source: Visa to pass through the UK in transit

Non-visa nationals: Nationals of some countries can normally visit the UK for 6 months or less without a visa and such visits are not recorded in visas data.

The data used in this report is based on different extracts than those used to compile data in the Before entry topic and Before entry tables. Hence, figures in this short article differ marginally from those in the Before Entry topic and tables.

A review into the quality of ONS migration estimates has found that evidence from the 2011 Census shows that the IPS did not adequately estimate migration flows between the 2001 and 2011 Censuses. More information is available at Quality of Long-Term International Migration Estimates from 2001 to 2011.

9. Other related data

The Before Entry topic and Extensions topic of the quarterly Immigration Statistics provide overall trends in entry clearance visa applications, grants and refusals, and in extensions granted inside the UK, including breakdowns by category and by nationality: Immigration statistics quarterly release.

The Migrant Journey analysis is able to explore migrants’ journeys through the UK’s immigration system. It provides information on a forward-view and backward-view analysis of the extent to which migrants achieve settlement in the UK or are recorded as still having valid leave to remain: ‘Migrant journey: fourth report’.

Office for National Statistics publish data on long term migration and on short term migration at: International Migration.

It is also important to note that not all foreign nationals require a visa to enter the UK, depending on the purpose of their visit. Further information regarding non-visa nationals can be found in the user guide.