UK Visa
Online Application
People who do not belong to the EU, USA and a few other
visa-exempt countries require a permit to visit the country. Citizens of the
UAE, Kuwait and a few other GCC countries also have an Electronic visa waiver
program. Indian citizens require a UK Visa to enter the country. The permit is
issued in the form of a sticker in your passport. The validity of the visa
depends upon the types. Different types of visa have multiple duration and
entry types given with that particular permit.
How to Apply for UK Visa?
Before starting the application process for the visa, you will
need to decide the right type of visa you are applying for. It is important to
meet the eligibility criteria for a particular type of visa. Once this is done,
you will have to gather the necessary documents required for the process. These
may vary depending upon the UK Visa types. Please note that in the case of
North Korea, there is only an offline application. However, most countries have
online application mode.
How to apply for UK visa online from India?
The process of applying for a UK Visa for Indians online is
described as below.
- Create
an account on the UK Visa application portal called Visa4UK. If you are
applying for a visitor visa, you can also apply it via the visa
immigration service portal too.
- Complete the UK online visa
application form with your details.
- Proceed to pay the UK Visa fees
online.
- Book your visa appointment at a
visa application centre (VAC) for the visa and biometric submission.
- Take a print out of the
confirmation of the appointment you receive in your email.
- Along with this, attend the appointment at the VAC with
your documents to finally submit your application.
Please note that in certain cases, you may be required to submit to
an interview. Also, it is necessary to ensure that you submit genuine and
correct documents. Any false information can lead to visa rejection. A refusal
for the permit can affect your future applications.
UK Visa Types
There are a number of types of permits issued to visit the United
Kingdom. For the temporary visas; Based on the purpose of visit, the major
types can be classified into the following.
- UK Tourist/Visitor Visa - This type
allows you to visit the country for a short term visit. These are normally
issued for a duration of 6 months. However, in certain cases where the
applicant requires to travel to the country multiple times over a few
years, it may be issued for even 2,5 or 10 years. However, you will only
be allowed to stay for a maximum of 6 months per entry. Based on the type
of visit, these can further be classified into the following -
- Standard
Visitor - This is issued to visitors
travelling for the purpose of tourism, business, medical
treatment, and other similar short term visit purposes.
- Marriage
Visitor - This type is required if you
are visiting the country to get married or get into a civil partnership
in the UK.
- Transit - This is only required if you have to travel through
the UK as a transit to visit another country.
- Student - This type of permit is issued to people who want to
pursue a course in the UK. This is generally based on the Point Based
System (PBS). The types of student permits are as follows -
- Short-term
study - Used for students doing
short term courses or research for 6 or 11 months.
- Tier 4
General Student - This is issued in cases
where you have been offered a place on a course. Since this is a PBS
type, you will need to meet the necessary eligibility points. The visa is
issued as per the duration of your course.
- Tier 4
Child Student - Children between the ages of
4 and 17, visiting the UK to take part in studies in an independent
school will require this type.
- Work - The work permit is issued to individuals who are
visiting the country to take part in work or employment activities. This is
also a PBS system and requires the individuals to meet the eligibility
points. The types of work visas are as follows.
- Tier 2 - This is issued to individuals who are moving to the
country to take part in long term work. You will be required to be
sponsored by a licensed sponsor for this. There are several sub-divisions
of this visa too.
- Tier 5 - A 5th tier permit is issued for short term work.
These can be unpaid voluntary work, religious work, sports-related, etc.
These can further be split into multiple types based on the purpose.
- Tier 1 - For individuals performing long term business
activities, and planning to set-up their business, a tier 1 type is the
apt one. This can be issued for entrepreneurs, start-ups, etc based on
the eligibility.
- Family
- You can apply for a family visa is you are going to the UK to live with
your spouse, parent, child, or a relative who will be providing for you
for a long term. These visas are issued for more than 6 months. If you
require to visit them for a period of fewer than 6 months, you can apply
for a standard visitor visa instead.
Documents required for UK Visa
As per the UK Visa documents requirements for Indian citizens, the
documents needed for UK Visa depends on the type of visa. Each one of the UK
Visa types has a certain set of documents specific to it. However, the general
requirements for most types are as follows -
- UK
visa application form - Online completed application form on Visa4UK
- 2 recent passport size
photographs
- A passport valid for at least 6
months from the date of return, along with at least one blank page
- Proof of financial means to
support your stay in the UK
- Proof of accommodation
- Complete travel itinerary
- Biometric information, if
applicable
- Visa fees receipt
- Proof of occupation
