Long-term visit visa

I understand from the gov.uk website that there is such a thing as a Long-term visit visa to the UK.  The site says that in order to get one of these, the applicant has to prove he or she needs to regularly visit the UK over a longer period than is allowed by standard visitor visas.

According to the information given, the person with the visa has to leave the UK after 6 months.  But how long do they have to wait before they can return to the UK?  And do they have to reapply for a new visa?

And is there any guidance about what types of circumstances would qualify, for the Home Office, as meeting the criterion of requiring the applicant to visit the UK enough to require the issuance of this visa?

I understand from the gov.uk website that there is such a thing as a Long-term visit visa to the UK.  The site says that in order to get one of these, the applicant has to prove he or she needs to regularly visit the UK over a longer period than is allowed by standard visitor visas.

It's very difficult to get a Long-Term visitor visa... in fact, I don't recall the last time someone on this forum was granted one.

I do recall one person applied mistakenly for one a few years ago, because they thought it would allow them to stay for longer than 6 months... they were refused because they were planning to stay for longer than 6 months and also because they had no good reasons for needing to travel regularly (they were in a relationship with a UK citizen and I don't think they had ever been to the UK before).

In order to get one, you usually have to show a history of frequent visits to the UK, over a number of years, for reasons such as:
- regular business meetings or conferences
- a UK citizen child or a sick family member in the UK that you need to visit regularly

According to the information given, the person with the visa has to leave the UK after 6 months.  But how long do they have to wait before they can return to the UK?  And do they have to reapply for a new visa?

If you are able to get a long-term visitor visa, they can be granted for lengths of 2 years, 5 years or 10 years. You can visit as many times as you like during that validity period, but you can only stay for a maximum of 6 months at a time and you should not be spending more time in the UK than in your home country... you can't be seen to be attempting to 'live' in the UK as a visitor.

The general rule of thumb is that you should spend at least as much time out of the UK as you did in the UK... so if you visited for 6 months, you should wait at least 6 months before attempting to return.

The long-term visitor visa is mainly for people who take frequent, short visits to the UK and don't want to have to get a new visitor visa each time they enter... for example, if they have to fly to the UK for business meetings once or twice a month.

And is there any guidance about what types of circumstances would qualify, for the Home Office, as meeting the criterion of requiring the applicant to visit the UK enough to require the issuance of this visa?

The official guidance is here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/619130/Visit-guidance-v6.pdf

Thanks for the good and quick reply.  The situation would come under visiting a sick family member in the UK category. 

Basically, after I received a spouse visa, my wife decided that she didn't want to live in the UK after all.  She has been here a few times but her family, friends and (ultimately) her heart are back home.  In this situation, as I am an older person who does not want to move to her country either, the question will be that as time passes, my health will inevitably deteriorate.  When this happens, and I am in my 60s, I would want my wife to visit me to be at my side.  This is not the present situation, insofar as my health is okay, but of course who knows? 

Presumably, I will have to wait until my health actually deteriorates and it will probably not get better (eg so when I can present a doctor's certificate to that effect).  So it will be hard for me to fly to visit her (the present situation) because of my health problems.   Then there may be a decent chance they will issue this particular visa under this circumstance.

Maybe you don't get any posts on this subject simply because people don't come to you with this issue?  It is unusual a problem.

We don't get this question a lot as people are applying from the USA, which doesn't require a visa in advance.

The long term visit visa application is very common among countries that are required to apply for a visit before each and every visit to the UK.

Yes, your circumstance is unique.  But there isn't an advantage to having this visa for US citizens.

Thanks so much again.

Yes, your circumstance is unique.  But there isn't an advantage to having this visa for US citizens.

Except that they can stay in the UK on a long-term visa for up to 6 months maximum as long as it isn't abused. Whereas coming from a non-visa country doesn't mean they will be granted entry for 6 months at the border as they could be given just a week/month or two to visit or refused entry.

But a long-term visitor visa can and is, cancelled at the border if it is being abused as it cannot be used it to live in the UK. i.e. 5/6 months in the UK, leave for 6/7 months, return for 5/6 months etc. There are a few post from those who have had/a relative had, their long-term visit visa cancelled at the border when they tried to enter the UK again.

The long-term visitor visas are really for those who come to the UK for a few weeks every so often, to save them applying for a visa each time. To get this visa, they also need to have a good history of leaving when they told the border officer they said they would, or who didn't overstay the time they put in previous visa applications even though the visa was granted for a maximum of 6 months.

For what you want Dave, your wife needs a visa that allows her live in the UK.