National statistics

Visas

Updated 26 May 2016

Valid: 26 May 2016 to 24 August 2016

Data relate to the year ending March 2016 and all comparisons are with the year ending March 2015, unless indicated otherwise.

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1. Key facts

There were 531,375 visas granted (excluding visitors and transit) in the year ending March 2016, a fall of 11,931 (-2%). This fall was driven by lower numbers in sponsored (Tier 4) Study (-10,210), Work (-7,167) and Short-term study (-3,972) categories. There were increases in the Other category (+7,382, of which EEA Family permits +4,489) and Family category (+3,682). Most of the fall in work visas related to Youth mobility and temporary work (-2,748) and Tier 1 investor visas (-2,106), reflecting changes introduced in November 2014. Skilled work visas fell 1% (-1,228).

The nationalities granted the most visas (excluding visitors and transit) were Chinese (92,715; excluding Hong Kong), Indian (84,663) and US (34,278).

There were 35,072 (+2%) more visitor visas granted at around 1.9 million. There were notable increases in visitor visa grants for Chinese nationals, up 22% (+72,611 to 406,669, excluding Hong Kong), and Indian nationals, up 13% (+43,487 to 373,299). By contrast there were large falls in visitor visa grants for Russian nationals (-49,014 to 104,360), down 32%.

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
Year ending March 2011	609,337	161,809	295,086	51,137	51,759	15,690	33,856
Year ending March 2012	529,901	148,589	226,556	65,361	43,732	13,072	32,591
Year ending March 2013	499,552	141,752	206,736	69,516	36,858	11,685	33,005
Year ending March 2014	537,686	156,322	218,908	79,384	35,207	11,651	36,214
Year ending March 2015	543,306	171,024	216,372	68,770	34,592	10,899	41,649
Year ending March 2016	531,375	163,857	206,162	64,798	38,274	9,253	49,031
Change: latest year	-11,931	-7,167	-10,210	-3,972	+3,682	-1,646	+7,382
Percentage change	-2%	-4%	-5%	-6%	+11%	-15%	+18%

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 the year ending March 2016, which account for 61% of the total 531,375. More detailed commentary on visa statistics by reason and nationality is included in the Work topic, Study topic, and Family topic.

Top 10 nationalities granted visas

(Total 531,375; excluding visitor and transit visas)

Chart notes

Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics January to March 2016, Visas table vi 06 q, Visas vol. 2.
(1) China excludes Hong Kong.

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

Increasing	Change	% Change		Decreasing	Change	% Change
China	+72,611	+22%		Russia	-49,014	-32%
India	+43,487	+13%		Nigeria	-26,624	-25%
South Africa	+7,664	+9%		Pakistan	-10,934	-20%
Saudi Arabia	+5,890	+6%		Bangladesh	-5,775	-39%
Philippines	+2,393	+7%		Iraq	-2,938	-52%

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). This scheme was extended to Kuwaiti nationals from 21 February 2016.
Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics January to March 2016, Visas 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 topic and Study topic) 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.