Indians visit the UK every year for various purposes- business, travel, or even to study. The United Kingdom is a beautiful place to visit, especially to take in all the beauty and culture of English. If you are planning to visit the UK from India, then you will need to apply for a UK Visa.
Here is everything you need to know about applying for a UK visa from India:
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What Are the Different Types of UK Visa You Can Apply For?
There are three types of UK visas you can apply for, depending upon your purpose of visit as well as the duration of your stay. These are;
- Tourist Visa
- Business Visa
- Long term Visa
Where Can You Apply for a UK Visa?
You have the easiest and fastest option at hand to apply for a UK Visa– you can do it online. To do this, you will need to visit the online UK Visa application page.
Here, you have to slowly and carefully fill out all of the important information. Once you finish doing this, you have to make an appointment with your nearest visa centre and get the rest of the formalities completed.
You can also skip the online process and make an appointment with the Consulate in your city. Make sure you arrive on time for your appointment with all of the necessary documents.
Read More: What is a Tier-2 Visa in the UK?
Steps to Apply for UK Visa:
- The first thing you will need to do is book an appointment with your Consulate. You can also visit the official website online and fill up your online application form yourself. If you decide to do that, you will have to ensure that you fill in all the information correctly. You should also have copies of your passport size photograph and other essential documents that you will need to upload on to your computer to complete the application process.
- After you finish filling up the online application form, you need to make an appointment with your visa centre. Here, you need to carry all the necessary documents along with a print out of your visa application (which you have already filled out).
- You will also need to pay a fee for your visa. In about 14 working days, you will hear back from the Visa centre with a response to your UK Visa application.
What Documents Do You Need to Submit for UK Visa Application?
Here is a list of the documents which you need to submit for your UK Visa application. Of course, depending upon the purpose of your visit and the kind of visa you are applying for, you might need to add some other documents as well.
Read More: What are the UK Student Visa Requirements?
Here are the common documents you will require for your UK Visa:
- The visa appointment confirmation letter
- A printout of your visa fee receipt
- A valid passport and other travel documents
- Two passport-sized colour photograph of yourself. You will need to follow the guidelines correctly for the photo to be accepted (example- the photograph should be a front profile of your face with a plain white background. You should not be wearing glasses in the picture. Your ears should be visible.)
- A scan of the bio of your passport. Your passport should also have a validity of at least six months to apply for your UK Visa.
- Proof of residency. This can be in the form of your driver’s license, your most recent utility bill, credit card bill, phone bill or even just a printed proof of the address page of your passport.
- Bank statements for the last six months along with bank details
- Evidence of the flight and travel details
- In case you are not a UK national, you also need proof that you have permission to travel to the country.
- If you are applying as a dependent, you need proof of your sponsor’s leave to remain in the UK.
- In case you are applying for a work visa in the UK, you will also need to show proof of employment. Along with that, you will need other documents such as your salary slip and income tax slip. You also have to show proof of leave being granted to you by your company in India (on their official letterhead). Evidence of permission granted to work in the company in the UK should also be provided on the official company letterhead.
- In case you are applying for a student visa, you will need to show proof of all valid documents. These documents include proof of qualifications, letter of acceptance into the school, or university in the UK, as well as proof of financial background.
How Long Does It Take for Your UK Visa Application to Be Accepted?
It should typically take about 14 to 15 working days for you to hear a response from your Visa centre regarding the acceptance of your UK Visa.
What are the other types of UK Visas?
While the three most common types of UK visas have already been mentioned above, there are many other kinds of UK visas as well. These are:
- Short term and long term standard visitor visa
- Short term study visa
- Business visitor visa
- Special visitor visa (Marriage or civil partnership)
- Special visitor visa (child visitors)
- Special visitor visa (parents of children at school in the UK)
- Diplomatic or Official Visitor Visa
- Course F visitors
- Visitors in transit
- Other student visas
Now, depending upon what kind of UK Visa you are applying for, you will find that you require different kinds of documents. However, the standard procedure to apply for your UK Visa will remain pretty much the same. It is essential to research well to figure out what kind of visa you should apply for.
Once your documents have been processed and you have been granted a visa, you will need to make another trip to your Visa centre to pick up these documents. You should ensure that you start the visa application process well in time (maximum of 3 months before your date of travel) to ensure the process goes smoothly.
