Everyone knows that women care about their age and looks. When I was no longer happy with what I saw in the mirror, I decided to act. My aunt, who is living in London, had had cosmetic surgery, and after mulling over it I decided to see the same surgeon. However, I had no idea which UK visa I needed and how I could apply for it.
Aigul was the elder daughter of a well-known businessman in Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana) with her family scattered all over Europe. She was a businesswoman herself and managed a small chain of bakeries. Aigul, just like any woman, wanted to look young and beautiful. She regularly visited her beautician and went to the best beauty salons. However, despite all her efforts, as time went by, her beauty was fading and every day it became more difficult to look young.
She had always been against cosmetic surgery because she hated the very idea of such drastic measures. First, she was afraid of the anaesthetic and how she was going to recover. Second, she did not want people to see she had had surgery and her face to look like a lifeless mask. But then something happened that made Aigul change her mind. Her aunt Karima, living in London, did a similar operation. The result was astonishing: she looked ten years younger than she was, and no one could guess that she had had surgery.
Aigul also wanted to see the same doctor. First of all, she got in touch remotely to discuss her expectations. The plan was to have a facelift and blepharoplasty to tighten the skin of the eyelids. The doctor asked Aigul to send him her photos (the clearer and larger the better), did an initial evaluation and invited her to have a personal consultation to be followed by an operation.
Aigul realised she needed a UK visa. However, she did not have a clue about what to do, so she decided to contact Imperial & Legal. Our advisors explained that she needed to apply for a UK Standard Visitor visa. Indeed, she had no intention of staying in the UK for long, and this visa covered both tourist visits and a great number of short-term activities such as business trips, educational courses, or medical treatment. The latter applied to our heroine. The important thing was to make your plans clear in a visa application.
Aigul, 44 years old, Kazakhstan national, is a businesswoman who wants to get a UK visa to have medical treatment here.
To assist the client in getting a UK Standard Visitor visa for medical reasons.
The first thing that Imperial & Legal experts did was to collect detailed information about the operation. As we mentioned before, to apply for a UK Standard Visitor visa for medical reasons, it was recommended to provide a rough outline of Aigul’s itinerary and evidence showing the purpose of her visit.
Aigul asked the hospital to send her an invitation and confirm booked surgery, the doctor’s credentials and the hospital’s licence. A bank statement confirming that Aigul had paid all the necessary hospital fees was also attached.
Besides, our experts found out that our client would have to stay in London for at least a month: she would be hospitalised for about a week to be followed by the recovery period, which would last until stitches could be removed and the swelling went down. It was important to spend this time in the care of medical staff, to have the doctor around in case something went wrong during the recovery process. But it was not necessary to stay in the hospital all the time: all the examinations and procedures could be done by the outpatient department.
The question was where Aigul was going to stay during this time. Her aunt, who had told Aigul about the plastic surgeon, was happy to have her niece over. Karima had already been through the same experience, so she knew what the stitches looked like and understood why Aigul did not want to stay in the hotel. Imperial & Legal advised Aigul to get a letter of invitation from her aunt and a written consent that confirmed that Karima was happy for Aigul to stay with her during the entire period of recovery for as long as she needed.
Once all the documents were collected, Aigul applied for a UK Standard Visitor visa for medical reasons. The caseworkers had no additional questions because the purpose of travel was clear and all the evidence was submitted. This gave Aigul a chance to do what she wanted and be treated at one of London’s best cosmetic surgery clinics. She got her beauty and her confidence back.
A UK Standard Visitor visa covers a wide range of permitted activities, including visiting the UK for medical reasons. Of course, the treatment must be paid for – by the patient, by a charity, an insurance company, the government of the patient’s home country, etc.
When you apply for this type of UK Standard Visitor visa you must include “Medical reasons” as the purpose of travel and provide the relevant paperwork. If you need medical treatment, you need to provide a letter from a doctor confirming your condition, as well as an agreement with a hospital or a doctor who is going to consult or treat you in the UK.
On average, a UK Standard Visitor visa is issued for up to six months, but it can be extended for up to eleven months. You should specify the likely duration of your treatment in your application and confirm it with a letter from the hospital. Should anything go wrong and you are incapable of leaving the UK when the visa expires, it can be extended. The important thing is to provide all the confirmations related to your treatment and demonstrate that you have enough funds to pay for it.
Imperial & Legal advisors will help you collect all necessary documents to apply for any type of the UK Standard Visitor visa and will be happy to answer any questions concerning the legal aspects of visiting the UK for medical reasons.
We will work with you to find a customised solution for your immigration, second citizenship, business, tax and other needs.
UK Standard Visitor Visa
UK Family Visas: Spouse and Fiancé/Fiancée Visas
UK Skilled Worker Visa