UK Visa from India – How to Apply for United Kingdom Visitor Visa Application And Requirements Guide

The United Kingdom has 4 wonderful destinations to enjoy – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. All with a rich heritage, fabulous attractions, great food and a whole lot more. Whether you have visited the UK before or this is your first time, you’ll find plenty of things to keep you occupied! In this article, learn more about how to apply for a UK visa from India, processing time at UK Visas and Immigration, visiting the visa application center, flight itinerary and UK visa application process.

Applying for a UK Visa from India

If you wish to enter and stay in the UK and are applying from India, you will need a visa which will allow you to stay in the UK for up to 6 months. There are options to stay longer, so if this is something that you are interested in, check the UK visa and immigration website for further information. There is one exception; if you are from India and hold a valid Irish visa endorsed with BIVS (British Irish Visa Scheme), you can travel to the UK without a visa.

To apply for a UK visa, you will need to:

1. Research your visa type
2. Apply for your visa through www.gov.uk
3. Pay your visa fees
4. Choose your services
5. Upload your supporting documents
6. Visit the visa application center. VFS Global has offices in Cochin, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai South, Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Jalandhar and New Delhi
7. Track your application
8. Pick up your documents

To be eligible for a UK visa, you must meet the following requirements:

Types of visas for the United Kingdom

There are different types of visas for the UK and the one you need will depend on your reason for traveling there:

1. Standard Visitor Visa – if you are going to the UK on holiday or to see your family and friends, for business or private medical treatment
2. Marriage Visitor Visa – if you are planning on getting married
3. Permitted Paid Engagement Visa – if you want to do specific paid work
4. Parent of a Tier 4 Child Visa – if your child attends an independent fee-paying day school
5. Visit the UK in a Chinese Tour Group – for up to 30 days as part of a tour group through the approved destination status agreement (ADS) (Chinese citizens only)
6. Visa to Pass through the UK in Transit – if you are en-route to a different country via the UK. There are 2 types of transit visa; Direct Airside Transit visa and Visitor in Transit visa

Please see www.gov.uk for further information on the above types of visas.

If you are planning to go to the UK on holiday, then you would apply for the Standard Visitor Visa which will be issued as either:

1. Single entry – you will be permitted to enter the UK once during the visa dates
2. Multiple entry – you will be permitted to enter the UK as many times as you wish before the visa expires

The UK Visa Application Process

Visa applications are processed within 3 weeks from the date you submit your application to VFS Global in India. It’s important that you apply well before your departure date to allow enough time for your application to be processed. However, you may submit your application up to 3 months ahead.

How to apply for a UK visa from India

There are a number of steps that you’ll need to follow to apply for your UK visa from India. You can see these steps by going to VFS Global’s website.

Step 1 – Research your visa type

You can check which visa you will need for the UK. Click on the link and you will be directed to www.gov.uk:

Step 2 – Apply for your visa

Once you know which visa you need, you can start the application process by clicking on the link:

You will be directed to the UK visas and immigration website where you can find information about choosing a visa, preparing your application, attending your appointment and getting a decision. Read this information before doing anything else:

When you are ready to start your application, go to www.gov.uk and click on “Visas and Immigration”:

On the next page, click on “Visit the UK”:

Next, click on “Visit the UK for a holiday or to see family or friends”:

Scroll down to “Apply for a Visa” and click on “Find out how to apply for a Standard Visitor Visa”:

Scroll down to “Apply” and click on “Apply for a visa and book an appointment”:

Before starting your online application, you’ll need to answer the questions on the UK visa and immigration website. First, click on “Apply now”:

Select your language:

Select a country where you will provide biometrics:

Then, confirm that you can travel to a location to provide biometrics:

Finally, you will see information about applying for the visa. Once you have read this and are happy to proceed, scroll down and click on “Start now”:

To apply online for your visa application, you must do the following things:

1. Register your application
2. Complete the visa application form
3. Upload your documents
4. Pay the visa fee
5. Book your appointment at VFS Global

Making appointments with the visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure where to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!

Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
2. Submit the appointment details, visa you are applying for, visa office you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
3. Receive appointment confirmation in email

Please note, you must make an appointment as part of the application process as described above. You cannot visit VFS Global without an appointment.

Step 3 – Pay your visa fees

Once you have made your application you need to pay the fee. This should be done online within your Gov.uk application. Fees are non-refundable. For more information about fees, go to www.gov.uk

Step 4 – Choose your services

Depending on which visa application center you choose, there may be a range of additional services offered, such as document scanning and checks, courier services, and call back services. For more information about this, please refer to VFS Global’s website

Step 5 – Upload your supporting documents

When applying for a UK visa, there are certain documents that you have to provide.

All documents must be originals. No photocopies will be accepted.

If you submit a document that is not in English or Welsh, it must be accompanied by a full translation. Each translated document must contain:

1. Confirmation from the translator that it is an accurate translation of the original document
2. The date of the translation
3. The translator’s full name and signature
4. The translator’s contact details

Documents include:

1. Valid travel document (national passport or other document that allows the holder to travel internationally)
2. Previous travel documents/passports, which show previous travel
3. Proof of sufficient funds – bank statements or letter from relative etc
4. Proof of earnings such as a letter from employer confirming employment details (start date of employment, salary, role, company contact details)
5. Confirmation of legal residence
6. Proof of flight reservation (when you complete your application, the document checklist will specify whether you need to provide this document)
7. Proof of accommodation such as a hotel booking (when you complete your application, the document checklist will specify whether you need to provide this document)
8. etails of employment or studies – a letter from your employer or education provider. If self-employed: business registration documents
9. Proof of any business activities (if applicable)
10. Under 18s – birth certificate, parent’s authority to travel alone and parent’s passport
11. Letter from doctor with details of medical treatment (if applicable)
12. Letter of invitation from event organisers, relatives, company etc
13. Marriage certificate

The documents required are different for each type of visa, so you should have a look at the full list of requirements before preparing your documents, so you don’t miss anything. If you fail to provide all the necessary paperwork, it could jeopardize your visa application.

As part of the online application process, you can upload your documents yourself. If you do this, you will receive a document checklist which you will need to keep.

Alternatively, VFS Global offers a service which allows you to digitally submit all the necessary documents and personal information from the comfort of your home, without sending them to UK Visas and Immigration. You will be able to do this when you visit the application center. They even offer a document scanning service and they will do it for you.

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2.  Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 6 – Visit the visa application center

On the day you visit the application center, remember the following things:

You must attend the appointment for your visa application. You cannot send someone in your place

Step 7 – Track your application

Once you have submitted your application and documents and visited the visa application center, you can track your application. You will receive an email when a decision has been made and your passport has been returned to the visa application center. However, if you want more detailed tracking information, you can choose VFS Global’s SMS service.

Step 8 – Pick up your documents

You may collect your passport from the visa application center or you can arrange for it to be returned to you via courier. If you collect your document in person, you need to take the receipt issued by the visa application center and a form of Government identification.

You’ll get a letter with the result of your application. The letter will explain what you need to do next.