Table Of Contents:
- Step-by-step UK visitor visa application process
- Check your eligibility
- Collect the documents
- Pay the Visa fee
- Apply online
- Prove your identity and provide your documents
- Change or cancel your application
- Wait for and get a decision
- In nutshell
The UK visitor visa is for short-term visits to the UK for various purposes, including tourism, family visits, short-term study, short-term business activities, and medical treatment. This visa typically allows a stay of up to six months. Before you apply, it is important to check whether your nationality requires a UK visitor visa. If you are from a non-Visa national country, you may need to apply for an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) instead of a visitor visa.
Step-by-step UK visitor visa application process
If you need a visitor visa, you must apply online before your intended date of travel to the UK and attend an appointment at a VAC (Visa Application Centre). The earliest you are allowed to apply is 3 months before you travel.
1. Check your eligibility
You must fulfil the eligibility criteria and only do permitted activities, for example, a holiday or vacation, seeing your family or friends, volunteering for up to 30 days with a registered charity, or passing through the UK to another country (‘in transit’).
You must be able to show the decision maker that:
- You will leave the UK at or before the end of your visit
- You have sufficient funds to support yourself and any dependants during your trip (or someone else is funding to support you)
- You are able to pay for your return or onward journey (or someone else is funding to pay for the journey)
- You have no intention to live in the UK for extended periods through successive or frequent visits, or make the UK your main home
You may need to fulfil additional eligibility requirements if you are coming to the UK:
- For medical reasons
- To take an exam, study, or do a placement
- As an academic, senior doctor or dentist
- For a PPE (Permitted Paid Engagement)
2. Collect the documents
You must provide a valid passport (with at least one blank page in it) or travel document that must be valid for the whole of your stay in the UK.
Other typical documents include
- Financial evidence such as Bank statements (usually last 6 months), payslips or proof of income, and proof of savings (if applicable).
- Travel details, which include your travel itinerary and accommodation details (hotel booking or invitation letter)
- Invitation letter from the UK host
- Passport/visa copy and proof of address of the host, Employment letter or business registration, Proof of strong ties to your home country (e.g., job letter, property, family)
- A TB test certificate (if applicable)
You will also need to provide additional documents if you are coming to the UK:
- For medical reasons
- To study
- As an academic
- For certain PPE (Permitted Paid Engagement)
Importantly, all documents must be in English or officially translated.
3. Pay the Visa fee
If you are applying for a UK Visitor visa for up to 6 months, you will need to pay a fee of £127 per applicant.
4. Apply online
Once you have started your visitor visa application online, you can save your application form and sign back in to complete it later.
If you are applying with family members, each individual must apply on their own and pay the fee. Each family member needs to attend their own appointment at a VAC.
If your partner and/or child cannot apply for themselves, you can apply on their behalf.
5. Prove your identity and provide your documents
When applying online, you will need to book an appointment at a VAC (Visa Application Centre). At your appointment at the VAC, you will need to prove your identity with your passport or travel document and have your biometric information (fingerprints and a facial photo) taken.
At the VAC, you can also provide the required documents showing you are eligible for a visitor visa
Your passport and documents may be kept by the VAC while processing your application.
Change or cancel your application
If you need to change something in your UK visitor visa application after you have sent it, you need to contact UKVI.
You can also ask to cancel your visa application, in which case you will only get your fee refunded if your application has not been processed yet.
Wait for and get a decision
After having applied online, proving your identity, and providing your documents, you will usually get a decision from UKVI on your visa within 3 weeks.
You may be able to get a faster decision by opting for priority service or super priority service.
The Home Office will send you an email once it has made a decision on your application. This email will explain, depending on whether your visa has been approved or refused, what you need to do next.
In nutshell
A UK visitor visa is for foreign nationals (primarily visa nationals) who wish to come to the UK for a short period (usually up to 6 months) for a specific permitted activity. The applicant must be clear that they satisfy the eligibility criteria, have the necessary documents and information in place, and book an appointment at the nearest VAC (Visa Application Centre) to provide their passport and prove their identity through their biometric information.
The applicant must apply online and pay the visa fee. Changing something in the application after you have sent it is possible.
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