United Kingdom Visitor Visa

Navigating Your Visit to the U.K.

1. Standard Visitor Visa

This is the most common and versatile visa for short stays in the UK, typically for up to six months. It covers a wide range of activities, consolidating several older visa categories.

You can apply for a Standard Visitor visa for:

Tourism and Holidays: For vacationing, sightseeing, and exploring the UK.
Visiting Family and Friends: To spend time with relatives or friends who are in the UK.
Business Activities: To attend meetings, conferences, training, or negotiate contracts. However, you cannot do paid or unpaid work for a UK company.
Short-term Study: For courses lasting up to six months at an accredited institution.
Medical Treatment: To receive private medical treatment. This can be for a period of up to 11 months.
Volunteering: You can volunteer with a registered charity for up to 30 days.
Transit: If you need to pass through UK border control on your way to another country.
Recreational Courses: To participate in a short recreational course, such as a language or craft course, for up to 30 days.

2. Marriage Visitor Visa

This specific visa is for individuals who intend to come to the UK to get married or form a civil partnership.

Key features of the Marriage Visitor visa:

You must be able to prove that you are in a genuine relationship and intend to marry or enter into a civil partnership within six months of your arrival.
You must have made concrete plans for your marriage or civil partnership in the UK.
You must intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit. This visa does not lead to settlement. If you plan to live in the UK with your partner after the ceremony, you should apply for a Family visa.

3. Permitted Paid Engagement Visa

This visa is designed for professionals who are experts in their field and have been invited by a UK-based organization to undertake specific paid engagements.

Eligibility typically includes:

Academics invited as student examiners or to give lectures.
Qualified lawyers invited for a specific case.
Professional artists, entertainers, or musicians coming for a performance.
Professional sportspersons invited for a sporting event.

The visa is granted for up to one month, and the paid engagement must be arranged before you apply.

4. Transit Visas

If you are travelling to another country and need to pass through the UK en route, you may need a transit visa. Indian passport holders generally require a transit visa. There are two types:

Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV): This is for when you will change flights in the UK without passing through UK border control.
Visitor in Transit Visa: This is required if you need to pass through UK border control, for example, to check in for a connecting flight from a different terminal. This allows you to stay in the UK for up to 48 hours.

5. Short-Term Study Visa

While the Standard Visitor visa covers study for up to six months, this specific visa is for individuals who want to study an English language course for a period longer than six months and up to 11 months.

Important points for the Short-Term Study visa:

You must have been accepted into an English language course at an accredited institution.
You cannot work or bring family members (dependants) with you.

6. Parent of a Child Student Visa

This visa is for a parent of a child under 12 who is attending an independent fee-paying day school in the UK on a Child Student visa.

To be eligible, you must:

Be the parent of a child who has or is applying for a Child Student visa.
Have sufficient funds to support yourself and your child.
Maintain a primary home outside the UK.
Intend to leave the UK at the end of your stay.

The cost for UK Visitor Visa

Part 1: Mandatory Costs

These are the essential expenses that nearly every applicant for a Standard Visitor Visa from India will incur.

1. UK Government Visa Application Fee

This is the core fee for the processing of your visa application. The cost depends on the duration of the visa you are applying for.

Standard Visitor Visa (up to 6 months): £127 (approx. ₹13,400 – ₹14,000)
Long-term Standard Visitor Visa (up to 2 years): £475 (approx. ₹50,000 – ₹52,250)
Long-term Standard Visitor Visa (up to 5 years): £848 (approx. ₹89,000 – ₹93,300)
Long-term Standard Visitor Visa (up to 10 years): £1,059 (approx. ₹1,11,200 – ₹1,16,500)

2. Tuberculosis (TB) Test Fee

If you are visiting the UK for more than six months, you must get a tuberculosis (TB) test from a clinic approved by the UK Home Office. For shorter visits, this is generally not required.

Cost of TB Test: ₹2,500 – ₹3,000 per person. This fee is paid directly to the approved medical clinic.

Applying for a UK Visitor Visa from India: A Comprehensive Document Checklist

I. Core Application Documents (Mandatory)

These are the essential documents that form the foundation of your visa application.

Valid Passport: Your current passport must be valid for the entire duration of your intended stay in the UK. It must also contain at least one blank page for the visa sticker.
Previous Passports: You should include any previous passports to show your travel history.
Completed Online Visa Application Form: You must accurately fill out the visa application form on the official GOV.UK website. Once completed, you will receive a unique application number.
Appointment Confirmation: A printout of your appointment confirmation at the VFS Global Centre for biometric (fingerprints and photograph) submission.
Passport-Sized Photographs: Two recent colour photographs that meet the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) specifications.

II. Financial Documentation

You must provide robust evidence of your financial capacity to cover all your travel, accommodation, and living expenses during your stay in the UK.

Bank Statements: Original or certified bank statements for the last six months, from all your active bank accounts. These statements must clearly show your name, account number, and a consistent history of transactions. Large, recent, and unexplained cash deposits should be avoided or clearly explained.
Income Tax Returns (ITR): Your ITR acknowledgements for the last three years.
Salary Slips: If you are employed, provide your salary slips for the last three to six months.
Proof of Other Income and Investments: Documents related to fixed deposits, property holdings, rental income, shares, or any other significant investments that demonstrate your financial stability.

III. Proof of Employment / Ties to Home Country

These documents are crucial to demonstrate that you have strong reasons to return to India after your visit.

For Salaried Individuals:
- Employment Letter: An original letter from your employer on company letterhead. This should state your position, salary, date of joining, and confirm that your leave for the duration of the trip has been approved.
- No Objection Certificate (NOC): This letter from your employer should state that they have no objection to your travel to the UK.

For Self-Employed Individuals:
- Business Registration Documents: Proof of your business ownership, such as the company’s registration certificate, Goods and Services Tax (GST) registration, or Partnership Deed.
- Company Bank Statements: Statements for the company’s account for the last six months.
- Company ITR: Income tax returns for the business for the last three years.

For Students:
- Letter from School/College: A letter from your educational institution confirming your enrolment, the course you are pursuing, and the sanctioned leave period.
- Student ID Card: A copy of your current student identification card.

For Retired Individuals:
- Pension Statements: Documents showing your pension credits.

IV. Purpose of Visit & Itinerary

You need to be clear about your reasons for visiting the UK.

Cover Letter: A detailed personal letter addressed to the Entry Clearance Officer. This letter should clearly state:
- The purpose of your visit (e.g., tourism, visiting family, business meetings).
- Your intended travel dates and the duration of your stay.
- A brief overview of your travel itinerary.
- Details of who will be funding the trip.
- A summary of the documents you are submitting.

Detailed Travel Itinerary: A day-by-day plan of your activities in the UK, including cities you plan to visit and attractions you intend to see.

Flight and Accommodation Proof:
- Flight Itinerary
- Hotel Bookings
- Invitation Letter (if applicable)

V. Medical Requirements

Tuberculosis (TB) Test Certificate: If you are applying for a visa that is longer than six months, you will need to provide a TB test certificate from a UKVI-approved clinic in India.