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

Have you ever been to the United Kingdom? If you have, you know there are many fantastic things to see and do. If you haven’t, you’ll be in for the time of your life! Start in the south and visit the London Eye or one of the city’s museums. Or, take a trip further north and be amazed at how beautiful the Lake District is. Whatever you end up doing, you’ll be sure to return to see more and more! In this article, learn more about how to apply for a UK visa from South Africa, 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 South Africa

If you want to go to the United Kingdom and are a citizen of South Africa, you will need to apply for a visa.

You can do this easily from South Africa, but you will need to follow a series of steps:

1. Register on the GOV.UK website
2. Choose any optional services and book an appointment at the visa application center
3. Attend your appointment at TLScontact
4. Passport Collection

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. You must apply for the correct one depending on why you want to travel to the UK:

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 allow you to stay in the UK for up to 6 months. This type of visa is 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

If you want to stay longer than 6 months, you can apply for a multiple entry visa for up to 2, 5 or 10 years. Check the UK visa and immigration website for further information.

The UK Visa Application Process

Visa applications are processed within 15 working days. You may submit your application up to 3 months ahead of your departure date. It’s important to allow plenty of time for your application to be processed, so don’t delay!

How to apply for a UK visa from South Africa

Once you are ready to apply, follow these 4 steps to get your UK visa from South Africa.

Step 1 – Register on the GOV.UK website

Go to TLScontact, choose any of the visa application centers, and you can see these steps under “Application Process.” Click on the link for UK Visas and Immigration and you will be directed to the GOV.UK website:

On the GOV.UK website, you will be able to do the following things:

1. Check which visa is right for you
2. Find out the documents you need to prepare
3. Fill out the online application form
4. Pay the visa fee
5. Book an appointment at TLScontact (you will be directed to TLScontact’s website to do this – see below)
6. Receive a unique reference number

It’s a good idea to read the information before you do anything. That way, you will familiarize yourself with the requirements and will be less likely to miss anything.

When you are ready to start your application, go to the home page (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. Read this before starting your application:

When you are ready, scroll down and click on “Start now”:

As part of the online application you will:

1. Register your email and create a password
2. Answer questions such as employment status, paying for your visit, reason for your visit etc
3. Pay for your visa
4. Receive a list of further actions to complete – print document checklist, make arrangements to provide documents and biometrics
5. Book an appointment at TLScontact (see below)

Step 2 – Choose any optional services and book an appointment with TLScontact

Once you have completed your application, you will be directed to TLScontact’s website in South Africa. You will need to:

1. Choose the correct visa application center where you will be submitting your documents. TLScontact has offices in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Pretoria
2. Choose any optional services such as courier/SMS service or form-filling assistance, Please note, different visa application centers may have different services, so make sure you choose the correct center
3. Book your appointment – choose a date and time for your appointment. Please note, there are 2 types of appointment available: Assisted service and Self-Upload service
4. Pay for any services

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. If you do not have an appointment when you visit TLScontact in South Africa, you will not be able to provide your biometrics or submit your documents and you will have to make a new appointment on TLScontact’s website.

Step 3 – Attend your appointment at TLScontact

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

1. Arrive on time
2. Check in at the welcome area
3. Hand over your passport and appointment confirmation email

If you chose the assisted service, you will need the following documents:

1. Printed copy of your appointment confirmation email
2. Receipt for any additional services
3. Valid passport or travel document and residence permit in A4 format (original and copy)
4. All of your supporting documents in A4 format (originals and copies)

If you chose the self-upload service, remember that you need to upload your documents at least 24 hours PRIOR TO your appointment. You will still need to take:

1. Printed copy of your appointment confirmation email
2. Receipt for any additional services
3. Valid passport or travel document and residence permit in A4 format (original and copy)

Once you are checked-in, TLScontact will:

1. Take your application and supporting documents
2. Take your fingerprints and photograph (biometrics)
3. Transfer your application to UK Visas and Immigration

Step 4 – Passport Collection

UK Visa Fees

You will pay the fee as part of your online Gov.UK application. Fees are non-refundable. For more information about fees, go to www.gov.uk

Required 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 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. Details 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 find out what these are before submitting your application. If you fail to provide all the necessary paperwork, it could jeopardize your visa application.

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