Medical Treatment

Visitors for Private Medical Treatment
Medical Treatment Visitors is for the purpose of having private medical treatment in the UK. There are certain requirements, which need to be fulfilled in order to make a successful visit visa application under this category.

1.    Rules And Regulation

a.    No Intention to Study
Visitors applying under any of the types are strictly not allowed to commence study in the UK.
b.    Not Intention to take employment
c.    No Intention to Produce Goods / Provide Services to public or any kind of other business
d.    Able to maintain & accommodate himself and any dependants without recourse to public funds

e.    Able to meet the costs of the return or onward journey
It can be confirmed by providing sufficient availability of funds either in Bank Statements or by some other form of evidence like purchase of a return ticket.
f.    In the case of a person suffering from a communicable disease it is also need to be fulfilled by providing documentary evidence from the Hospital or from a senior doctor that there is no risk to public health in the UK.

g.    The candidate also needs to provide sufficient evidence that the course of treatment is of limited duration and he would not suffer treatment for an indefinite period of time.

h.    The applicant also needs to provide documentary evidence of the fact that there are acceptable arrangements for the necessary consultations or treatment, its estimated costs and the likely duration of the medical treatment.

2.    Duration of Visa
A visit visa for private medical treatment is normally issued for a maximum period of 6 months.
3.    Work Allowed

Visitors for private medical treatments are strictly not allowed to do any kind of work weather paid or unpaid or cannot engage themselves in any sort of business in any part of their limited stay in the UK.
4.    Extension of Visa

Immigration rules do allow further extension of visa for private medical treatment while remaining within the UK but this is subject to the compliance of rules and regulations mentioned above and fulfillment of the following requirements:

• Provision of evidence from a registered practitioner who holds an NHS consultant post or who appears in the specialist Register of the General Medical Council of satisfactory arrangements or private medical consultation or treatment and its likely duration; and , where treatment has already begun, evidence as to its progress; and
• Provide sufficient evidence that the applicant has met, out of the resources available to him, any costs and expenses incurred in relation to his treatment in the UK; and
  
• Provide sufficient funds available to him in the UK to meet the likely costs of his treatment and intends to meet those costs.

5.    Spouse / Children
Visitors for private medical treatment cannot invite their spouse / children to join them as their children once they are in the UK. However, they can certainly include them in the entry clearance application and bring them along. It is more likely that the ECO would ask for some more evidence of financial, social and family ties of the family in its home country.

6.    Switching Rules
Since 01-October-2004, there have been some major changes in the switching rules. Visitors for private medical treatment can no longer switch to any other category under the immigration rules.

7.    Settlement Prospects
There are no settlement prospects for the family visitors as it is a provisional visa and they are not allowed to switch to any other immigration category that leads to permanent settlement.