Visit

What you can and cannot do (‘permitted activities’)

You can visit the Isle of Man as a Standard Visitor:

• for tourism, for example on a holiday or vacation
  
  
• to see your family or friends
  
  
• to volunteer for up to 30 days with a registered charity
  
  
• to pass through the Isle of Man to another country (‘in transit’)
  
  
• for certain business activities, for example attending a meeting or interview
  
  
• to do a short course of study, a placement or to take an exam
• to take part in research or an exchange programme if you’re an academic
  
  
• for medical reasons or to donate an organ

You cannot:

• do paid or unpaid work for an Isle of Man company or as a self-employed person
  
  
• claim public funds (benefits)
  
  
• live in the Isle of Man for long periods of time through frequent or successive visits
  
  
• marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership - you’ll need to apply for a Marriage Visitor visa
  
  

You must prove that you:

• meet the eligibility requirements
• are only planning to do permitted activities

If you need a Standard Visitor visa, you must prove this when you apply online.

If you do not need a visa, you may be asked questions at the Isle of Man border about your eligibility and the activities you plan to do.

If you have previously been refused entry to the Isle of Man or have a criminal record, you may want to apply for a Standard Visitor visa (even if you do not need one).

You can usually stay in the Isle of Man for up to 6 months.

You might be able to stay for longer if you are:

• coming to the Isle of Man for medical reasons or
  
  
• an academic - you, your partner and your children may be able to stay for up to 12 months
  
  
  

You must show that:

• you’ll leave the Isle of Man at the end of your visit
  
  
• you’re able to support yourself and your dependants during your trip (or have funding from someone else to support you)
  
  
• you’re able to pay for your return or onward journey (or have funding from someone else to pay for the journey)
  
  
• you’ll not live in the Isle of Man for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the Isle of Man your main home

You must have a passport or travel document that is valid for the whole of your stay in the Isle of Man.

You must also only plan to do activities in the Isle of Man that are allowed under the Standard Visitor rules.

You can visit the Isle of Man for up to 6 months to do the following permitted activities:

• spend time with family and friends
  
  
• take a holiday or vacation
  
  
• pass through the Isle of Man to another country
  
  
• take part in a school exchange programme
  
  
• volunteer for up to 30 days with a registered charity
  
  
• do a recreational course of up to 30 days, for example a dance course

You cannot:

• get public funds (benefits)
  
  
• bring in family members (‘dependants’) - they must apply separately
  
  
• live in the Isle of Man for extended periods through frequent visits
  
  
• extend your visa or switch to another visa
  
  
• work - except for permitted activities related to your work or business overseas, such as attending meetings
  
  
• study
  
  

You must apply for a Marriage Visitor visa if:

• you want to get married or register a civil partnership in the Isle of Man
  
  
• you want to give notice of a marriage or civil partnership in Isle of Man
  
  
• you’re not planning to stay or settle in the Isle of Man after your marriage or civil partnership
  
  
• you meet the other eligibility requirements

You do not need a Marriage Visitor visa to convert your civil partnership into a marriage - you can apply for a Standard Visitor visa.

You also do not need a Marriage Visitor visa if one of the following is true:

• you have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
  
  
• you have applied to the EU Settlement Scheme before 30 June 2021, and have not got a decision yet
  
  
• you’re an Irish citizen

What you can and cannot do

You can:

• marry or enter into a civil partnership in the Isle of Man within 6 months of your arrival - you must use a venue licensed for this purpose
  
  
• pass through the Isle of Man in transit (on your way to another country)

You cannot:

• get public funds (benefits)
  
  
• bring in family members (‘dependants’) - they must apply separately
  
  
• live in the Isle of Man for extended periods through frequent visits
  
  
• extend your visa or switch to another visa
  
  
• work - except for permitted activities related to your work or business overseas, such as attending meetings
  
  
• study

You can read detailed UK guidance about what you can and cannot do with a Marriage Visitor visa.

How long you can stay

You can use this visa to visit the Isle of Man for up to 6 months.

You can visit the Isle of Man for up to 6 months to do the following business activities:

• attend interviews, meetings, conferences and seminars
  
  
• negotiate and sign deals and contracts
  
  
• attend trade fairs to promote your business (you cannot sell things)
  
  
• get work-related training if you’re employed overseas and the training is not available in your home country
  
  
• give a one-off or short series of talks as long as they’re not for profit or a commercial event (you must not be paid)
  
  
• carry out site visits and inspections
  
  
• oversee the delivery of goods and services provided by an Isle of Man company to your overseas company or organisation
  
  
• deliver training or share knowledge on internal projects with Isle of Man employees of the company you work for overseas
  
  
• install, dismantle, repair, service or advise on equipment, computer software and hardware, if your overseas company has a contract with an Isle of Man company or organisation

Check the Visitor Rules for details of what you can do as a Standard Visitor in these job roles.

You cannot:

• get public funds (benefits)
  
  
• bring in family members (‘dependants’) - they must apply separately
  
  
• live in the Isle of Man for extended periods through frequent visits
  
  
• extend your visa or switch to another visa
  
  
• work - except for permitted activities related to your work or business overseas, such as attending meetings
  
  
• study

If you want to work in the Isle of Man

You cannot do paid or unpaid work for an Isle of Man company or as a self-employed person as a visitor. You will need to apply for a Worker Migrant visa.

If you are being paid by an Isle of Man organisation as an expert in your profession, you may get permission to visit the Isle of Man for a Permitted Paid Engagement.

You can visit the Isle of Man for up to 6 months to:

• study at an accredited institution (this includes English language courses)
  
  
• do a short piece of research that’s relevant to your course overseas
  
  
• do an ‘elective’ - an optional additional placement, if you’re studying medicine

You cannot:

• get public funds (benefits)
  
  
• bring in family members (‘dependants’) - they must apply separately
  
  
• live in the Isle of Man for extended periods through frequent visits
  
  
• extend your visa or switch to another visa
  
  
• work - except for permitted activities related to your work or business overseas, such as attending meetings
  
  

Check the activities you plan to do are allowed if you are visiting the Isle of Man:

• as an academic
• for medical reasons

If you want to visit the Isle of Man to do these activities you must:

• meet the basic eligibility requirements
• meet any additional eligibility requirements for the activity
• provide any required documents for the activity