Visitors to the UK

Release date:
16 October 2015

You asked

In the 12 month period ending March 2015, or the nearest 12 month period for which records are held, how many international visitors (excluding EU citizens) visited the UK on a tourist visa, and how many left the country?

In addition, please can you also estimate the numbers from that same cohort falling into the following categories:

  • the visitor has left the UK

  • the visitor is still in the UK (as an overstayer)

  • the visitor has made an application for a further extension of stay that has not been identified/recorded or

  • the visitor never travelled to the UK (the visa was not used)

We said

Thank you for contacting the Office for National Statistics (ONS) regarding international visas. Your questions were as follows:

  1. In the 12 months to March 2015, or the nearest 12 month period for which records are held, how many international visitors (excluding EU citizens) visited the UK on a tourist visa and how many left the country?

    Of this cohort, how many of these visitors:

  2. Left the UK?

  3. Are still in the UK as an overstayer?

  4. Made an application for an extension of stay that has not been identified/recorded?

  5. Never travelled to the UK (visa never being used)?

ONS do not collect visa data. Visa data are collected by the Home Office, so you may wish to contact them with your query. They can be reached at: migrationstatsenquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

For your convenience I have included a link to the Home Office immigration statistics report which may be of use to you.

ONS long-term international migration data is defined using the UN definition of a migrant; this is anybody that intends to change the country of his/her residence for 12 months or more. Our latest publication can be found via this web link.

These official figures are estimates not exact counts.

Estimates of short-term international migration for England and Wales are available on the basis of 3 definitions:

  • the 1 to 12 months definition, which includes those migrating for all reasons

  • the 3 to 12 months definition, which also includes those migrating for all reasons

  • the United Nations (UN) definition, which states that "a short-term migrant is a person who moves to a country other than that of his or her usual residence for a period of at least 3 months but less than a year (12 months) except in cases where the movement to that country is for purposes of recreation, holiday, visits to friends or relatives, business, medical treatment or religious pilgrimage" - in practice, this is defined as a visit of 3 to 12 months for the purpose of work or study.

The latest publication can be found via this web link.

A first time user guide for understanding ONS international migration statistics can be found here.

For further queries on ONS international migration data please do not hesitate to contact migstatsunit@ons.gov.uk

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