The United Kingdom provides a Standard Visitor Visa for Tourism or Business. An Indian visitor travelling to the UK is required to have a valid visa available before entering the country. The visa process also includes an in person appointment at the Visa Application Centre for submission of documents and collection of biometrics data.

You can apply for your UK visa upto 3 months prior to the intended date of travel. In India the Visa Application Centres (VAC) are managed by VFS Global.

Process for applying  to your UK Visa 

We have detailed down the process for applying for your UK Visa as it consists for extensive checks and requires you to ensure you have a proper document set available with you at the time of your aplication submission. 

1. The UK application forms are all online, no offline forms are issued. The application process can be started online by signing up and creating a new application. 

2. Very important to ensure that your current passport is valid for atleast six months and has one blank page. This would be a single page which is blank on either sides.

3. Photographs required for your UK visa application need to be 45mm X 35mm with clear close-up of your full head & upper shoulders. Complete details of the specifications can be found here.  Applicants often find that the photos clicked elsewhere and brought to the visa application centre do not meet the criteria. Hence we suggest that you get your photo clicked at the photo booth available within the Visa Application Centre. 

4. In order to strengthen your application its recommended that you go through the Document Checklist and collate documents as much as possible. This checklist is an indication of the type of documents you can supply at the time of your application.

5. Once you have filled in the application form online and confirmed, you  can select an appointment date & time at a visa application centre closest to your location. A copy of this appointment letter is required on the day of submission. 

Appointment at the Visa Application Centre (VAC)

On the day of your appointment, ensure to carry your appointment letter along with your application pack to the visa application centre. You should arrive atleast 15 minutes prior to your appointment time in order to ensure you can gain entry into the VAC on time for your appointment. If you intend to take photographs at the booth available at the VAC please allow atleast 45 minutes lead time prior to your appointment time. 

When you arrive at the visa application centre you will collect a token and wait till your token is called to make your application. 

Enrol your fingerprints (known as biometric information collection) at the VAC. This includes a digital finger scan (all 10 digits). The finger scan procedure uses an electronic scanner, so no ink, liquids or chemical are used. You should ensure that your fingertips are free from any forms of decoration (eg: henna), cuts, abrasions or other markings as these may affect your ability to provide acceptable finger scans.

Once you are called to make your application, you won’t able to exit to submit or call for additional documents. Its important that you know the documents you have in hand are the only documents that are considered. 

Once the visa filing process is complete you will be issued with an acknowledgement receipt. This receipt needs to be safely kept as it will be needed later to collect your documents. 

Finally, you will need to choose how you’d prefer to collect the documents, in person at the VAC or have them delivered to you by post.

Post Submission

The VAC acts as an intermediary on behalf of the UK consulates. Your application will be forwarded the same day to the consulate for review. Please note that the VAC will not be able to tell you immediately if your visa has been granted or rejected as it’s the discretion of the UK consulates.

Incase, you are denied a visa, a written letter from the entry clearance officer will be delivered along with your documents explaining the reasons for declining your visa application. You will be allowed to appeal for the refusal and this process will be explained in the letter. You can however, always reapply by lodging a fresh application. 

Application Tracking

The status of your application shall be informed to you via SMS (if you have opted for it at time of application submission) or via email on the email ID that was provided at the time of submission of your application. 

The United Kingdom provides a Standard Visitor Visa for Tourism or Business. An Indian visitor travelling to the UK is required to have a valid visa available before entering the country. The visa process also includes an in person appointment at the Visa Application Centre for submission of documents and collection of biometrics data.

You can apply for your UK visa upto 3 months prior to the intended date of travel. In India the Visa Application Centres (VAC) are managed by VFS Global.

Process for applying  to your UK Visa 

We have detailed down the process for applying for your UK Visa as it consists for extensive checks and requires you to ensure you have a proper document set available with you at the time of your aplication submission. 

1. The UK application forms are all online, no offline forms are issued. The application process can be started online by signing up and creating a new application. 

2. Very important to ensure that your current passport is valid for atleast six months and has one blank page. This would be a single page which is blank on either sides.

3. Photographs required for your UK visa application need to be 45mm X 35mm with clear close-up of your full head & upper shoulders. Complete details of the specifications can be found here.  Applicants often find that the photos clicked elsewhere and brought to the visa application centre do not meet the criteria. Hence we suggest that you get your photo clicked at the photo booth available within the Visa Application Centre. 

4. In order to strengthen your application its recommended that you go through the Document Checklist and collate documents as much as possible. This checklist is an indication of the type of documents you can supply at the time of your application.

5. Once you have filled in the application form online and confirmed, you  can select an appointment date & time at a visa application centre closest to your location. A copy of this appointment letter is required on the day of submission. 

Appointment at the Visa Application Centre (VAC)

On the day of your appointment, ensure to carry your appointment letter along with your application pack to the visa application centre. You should arrive atleast 15 minutes prior to your appointment time in order to ensure you can gain entry into the VAC on time for your appointment. If you intend to take photographs at the booth available at the VAC please allow atleast 45 minutes lead time prior to your appointment time. 

When you arrive at the visa application centre you will collect a token and wait till your token is called to make your application. 

Enrol your fingerprints (known as biometric information collection) at the VAC. This includes a digital finger scan (all 10 digits). The finger scan procedure uses an electronic scanner, so no ink, liquids or chemical are used. You should ensure that your fingertips are free from any forms of decoration (eg: henna), cuts, abrasions or other markings as these may affect your ability to provide acceptable finger scans.

Once you are called to make your application, you won’t able to exit to submit or call for additional documents. Its important that you know the documents you have in hand are the only documents that are considered. 

Once the visa filing process is complete you will be issued with an acknowledgement receipt. This receipt needs to be safely kept as it will be needed later to collect your documents. 

Finally, you will need to choose how you’d prefer to collect the documents, in person at the VAC or have them delivered to you by post.

Post Submission

The VAC acts as an intermediary on behalf of the UK consulates. Your application will be forwarded the same day to the consulate for review. Please note that the VAC will not be able to tell you immediately if your visa has been granted or rejected as it’s the discretion of the UK consulates.

Incase, you are denied a visa, a written letter from the entry clearance officer will be delivered along with your documents explaining the reasons for declining your visa application. You will be allowed to appeal for the refusal and this process will be explained in the letter. You can however, always reapply by lodging a fresh application. 

Application Tracking

The status of your application shall be informed to you via SMS (if you have opted for it at time of application submission) or via email on the email ID that was provided at the time of submission of your application.