9 Steps to process UK tourist visa application

 

Blessed with beautiful landscapes and scenery, cultural diversity and rich history have attracted many tourists from around the world to visit the UK. Visitors visiting the UK from India need to have a valid visa and for that, it is necessary to understand how to process UK tourist visa applications from India.

 

Visa is mandatory for every Indian visiting the UK and we all are aware of it but for applying for the visa we need to meet the criteria as an applicant that includes a valid passport, proving the purpose of the visit to the UK, social and economic status in the home country, employment status in the home country, and will exit the UK before the visa expires.

 

9 Steps to follow for processing the visa

 

  • Online Form Filling

 

  • Submitting the form

 

  • Making the payment

 

  • Scheduling the appointment

 

  • Preparing the documents

 

  • Visting the VFS center

 

  • Submission of documents & biometrics

 

  • Visa processing

 

  • Collection of the Passport

 

How to process a UK tourist visa application from India.

 

  • Applicants can apply for the visa 90 days before the intended date of travel to the UK. Visa processing for the UK involves online form filling & payment of fees and visiting the VFS center for submission of documents and biometrics, and collection of the passport once the visa is processed

 

  • Visitor Visa is also known as Standard Visitor Visa and this will be the category to be selected while filling the online form for the applicants who intend to visit the UK for tourism purposes, meeting their family & friends in the UK, and or Business purposes that include attending meetings, conferences, and seminars.

 

  • The Visa form requires the applicant to fill the details of the passport, employment, family, finance, purpose of travel, and travel plans in the UK. Once all the details are in place the applicant is ready to submit the form online on the UKVI website.

 

  • The payment of the fees will be the next step that can be done with the help of a debit or credit card. Payment will be done in two steps wherein first the payment will be made to the UK Immigration department and the other one will be for the VFS logistics charges.

 

  • Once the entire payment process is completed the next step will be scheduling an appointment at the nearby VFS center. On the day of the appointment make sure to visit at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time to avoid the cancellation or delay in the process of the appointment.

 

  • Before visiting the center the applicant is required to arrange the documents as per the UKVI document checklist. All the documents must be on A4 size paper as the documents are to be scanned at the VFS center by the representative assisting for submission of the documents.

 

  • The normal processing time for the visitor visa is 13 – 15 days. UK Immigration department however also offers priority and super-priority visa services wherein the visa is processed in 5 and 2 working days respectively.

 

  • VFS centers are located in New Delhi, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad which accept the applications for processing the UK Visa.

 

UK Visitor Visa Requirements – Document checklist

 

  • Original Passport

 

  • Visa Form

 

  • Document Checklist

 

  • Cover letter addressing to British High Commission, New Delhi in detail

 

  • Photographs will be clicked at the VFS center during the biometrics.

 

  • Bank statement of last 6 months

 

  • Income Tax Returns – 3 years

 

  • Any other financial documents

 

  • Marriage certificate (if applicable)

 

Employed Applicants

 

  • Offer/Appointment letter

 

  • NOC/Leave Letter

 

  • Salary Slip

 

  • Company ID card (if applicable)

 

Self-Employed Applicants

 

  • Cover Letter on the letterhead in detail addressing to the British High Commission, New Delhi.

 

  • Company Registration Papers

 

  • Income Tax Returns of the company

 

  • Bank statement of the company

 

Retired Applicants

 

  • Retirement letter

 

  • Pension slips

 

  • Any other financial documents

 

Sponsored Applicants

 

  • Sponsorship letter

 

  • Sponsor’s 6 monthly bank statement

 

  • Sponsor’s passport copy

 

  • Sponsor’s Income Tax Returns

 

  • Sponsor’s Employment proof

 

Student Applicant

 

  • School/College ID Card

 

  • Bonafide Certificate

 

  • Current Academic Year Fee Receipt

 

Invited Applicants

 

  • Invitation Letter

 

  • Inviter’s Passport copy

 

  • Inviter’s BRP card / Visa copy

 

  • Inviter’s Employment proof

 

  • Inviter’s Residence proof

 

  • Inviter’s Tax Papers

Bank Statements must be attested. Apart from this, the document required may differ according to the application made and the purpose of the visit to the UK.

 

Visa Fees

 

Tourist / Visit Visa 6 Months 2 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Consulate Charges INR 9,707 INR 35,957 INR 63,457 INR 79,457
VFS Charges INR 1,000 INR 1,000 INR 1,000 INR 1,000
Service Charge INR 2,000 INR 2,000 INR 2,000 INR 2,000
Priority Service INR 20,500 INR 20,500 INR 20,50 INR 20,500
Super Priority Service INR 88,500 INR 88,500 INR 88,500 INR 88,500

 

While the visa is being processed you can always chalk out an itinerary for all the places you would like to visit and explore while in the UK and shouldn’t be missed out on.

 

Places to visit in the UK

 

London – London is not to be missed while in the UK and the tourist destinations here are Big Ben, River Thames, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Natural History Museum, and many more.

 

Edinburgh – The most attractive city in Scotland and one of the most visited tourist destinations in the UK. This city is famous for Edinburgh Castle, One O’clock Salute, Scottish National War Memorial, and the Stone of Destiny.

 

Manchester & Liverpool – These cities are always in the bucket list of the visitors visiting here. You cannot miss out on visiting Manchester Cathedral, Castefields which are famous for Victorian houses, canals, and Roman Ruins. While in Liverpool you can visit the Merseyside Maritime Museum, Museum of Liverpool, and the Walker Art Gallery.

 

Cardiff –  Capital City of Wales, Cardiff is home to some top attractions including outdoor adventures and national parks as well as Cardiff Castle. Cardiff Bay is not to be missed out as here you can find the World of Boats with the vessels from around the globe.

 

Loch Ness & Inverness – The most visited tourist attraction in Scotland is famous for the most beautiful scenery including the ruins of Urquhart Castle, overpassing the Loch, the largest fortification here, Loch Ness Center and exhibition loved for the history, monsters, and ongoing research for the elusive creature.

 

13 things to do in London

 

A trip to the UK is incomplete without visiting London, one of the most favorite cities, and the most visited city with more than 21.7 million visitors every year.  The list of things to do in London includes:

 

  1. London Eye – Giant Ferris Wheel
  2. River Thames – England’s longest river
  3. Buckingham Palace – Royal world
  4. Big Ben – Giant Clock Tower
  5. London National Gallery – Top-class art museum in the world
  6. Trafalgar Square – Center of London
  7. Paul’s Cathedral – Must-see church in London
  8. Westminster – Political hub
  9. Piccadilly Circus – Restaurants, shopping, and nightlife
  10. Hyde Park – Largest green space
  11. Madame  Tussauds Museum – Celebrity world
  12. Kew Gardens – Royal Botanic Garden
  13. Tate Museum –  National collection of British Art

 

Traveling to the UK requires a valid UK visa which includes online submission of the form and visit to the VFS center for biometrics and submission of the documents. This visa is stamped on the passport and is processed in 13 – 15 days with the validity of 6 months and multiple entries.