UK Visa Application

Steps to Apply for a Visa to the United Kingdom

Follow the Steps Given below to Apply for an United Kingdom Visa:

1. Step 1: Once customers decide the kind of Visa that they will need to apply for, they will have to visit the official United Kingdom Government website and apply online for a Visa.
2. Step 2: Once the appointment day has been fixed, applicants must arrive 15 minutes prior to the appointment, at the Visa application center along with their appointment letter, an application pack, their passport along with a valid documents for UK Visa like travel or passport document that has a minimum of one blank page on both sides.
3. Step 3:Once applicants arrive at the center, they will be given a token and will have to follow the order of the token to make their application.
4. Step 4:Once the filling process for the Visa is finished, they will be provided with a receipt which needs to be maintained as they will have to provide that in order to collect documents at a later stage.
5. Step 5:Customers will have to note that, once their application has been submitted, they will not be able to submit any other documents. Only the documents that have been provided at the beginning will be considered.
6. Step 6:Applicants can apply for a visa up to a period of three months prior to the date of travel to the United Kingdom. Customers are advised not to confirm travel necessities and arrangements until they receive their Visa. Supporting documents will need to be arranged for this.
7. Step 7:In order to complete this application process, customers will have to book and also attend an appointment at any of the Visa application offices in India. Applicants will have to compulsorily book appointment before submission.
8. Step 8:Applicants will have to provide their photograph and fingerprints (biometric information) at the application center and this also includes a digital photograph and a finger scan. The scan procedure involves an electronic scanner and no other chemicals or liquids including ink, therefore customers must ensure that their fingertips do not have decoration or cuts, or abrasions of any kind.
9. Step 9:After this, their digital photo will also be taken without sunglasses or spectacles or head covering unless it is for medical or religious purposes. Unless biometric information has been provided, applicants' Visa cannot be processed.
10. Step 10:Customers can choose whether they will want to collect their documents themselves or have them delivered by post.

UK Visa Application Fees

The cost for a standard visitor Visa is £87. Based on the stay of the visitor, the cost varies and an optional priority Visa service costs £150.

The table below illustrates the fee required for a Standard Visitor Visa based on the duration for which the applicant will be staying:

Processing Time for Visa Application

Based on the country/city the customer is applying from, the processing time differs.

For example, if an individual is applying for the same from New Delhi, India then based on the Visa applied for, processing time varies.

1. For visit Visas such as long term visit, Visa will be processed within ten days.
2. For other visit Visas such as general visit, business visit or other visits, processing time is within fifteen days.
3. For family visit, Visas are processed within thirty days and if the purpose is transit, it takes about sixty days for Visas to be processed.
4. For all of the above, stay duration is 6 months or less.
5. For PBS or Point Based System Visas, the processing duration is ten to fifteen days.
6. Settlement Visas take up to ten days for processing.
7. Non-settlement Visas can take up to ninety days but majority are done within ten days.

How to Expedite Your UK Visa Application

In case customers have applied for settlement using SET (AF, F,LR,M,O) forms, they can receive a response within five working days through additional processes.

1. In addition to the Visa fee, they will have to pay another £400 per person and fill out the respective form.
2. Biometric information must also be provided.

UK Visa Embassies in India

The United Kingdom is represented by the following establishments in India:

1. British High Commission - New Delhi
2. British Consulate-General - Mumbai
3. British Consulate-General - Kolkata
4. British Consulate-General - Chennai
5. British Consulate-General - Goa