UK Standard Visitor Visa
Complete Guide for Indians

Yes, Indian passport holders must obtain a UK visa before travelling. There is absolutely no visa-on-arrival facility and no exemption available for Indian nationals. Every Indian citizen — regardless of travel history, income, profession, or length of intended stay — must apply for and be granted a Standard Visitor Visa through the official UKVI online portal before departing India.

This requirement applies for all purposes of visit covered by the Standard Visitor Visa: tourism, visiting family or friends, business meetings, attending conferences, short-term study (courses up to 6 months), and medical treatment. The visa must be approved and accessible in your UKVI account before you board your flight.

Additionally, Indian nationals are not eligible for the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which is a separate, simpler digital permission for nationals of visa-exempt countries. The ETA does not apply to Indian passport holders under any circumstances. If you hold dual nationality including Indian, you should check your specific situation — but if travelling on an Indian passport, a full Standard Visitor Visa is required.

The 25 February 2026 date marks the completion of the UK Home Office's "Digital by Default" border strategy. From this date, several fundamental changes came into effect for all new UK visa applicants, including Indians:

• No more physical visa vignette sticker in your passport for new approvals. If you apply from 25 February 2026 and your visa is approved, you will not receive the embossed paper sticker that generations of travellers previously glued into their passports. The absence of a sticker does not mean refusal — it means the system has gone digital.
• No more Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) for any visa category. Long-term visa holders on work, study, or family routes will no longer receive a physical card.
• No routine wet-ink passport stamps as proof of UK entry conditions.
• A digital eVisa stored in a UKVI online account, linked directly to your passport number, becomes the authoritative proof of your immigration permission.
• Automated airline boarding checks — airlines verify your eVisa status digitally through Advance Passenger Information before issuing your boarding pass. A mismatch between your passport and your UKVI account details results in a "no-board" alert before you leave India.

The key action item for all new applicants: after visa approval, set up your UKVI account immediately, verify your passport is correctly linked, and check your account 24 hours before every UK departure.

A UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) account is a free online account on the UK government's official immigration platform where your eVisa is stored and managed. It is the digital home of your immigration permission — the replacement for the physical sticker in your passport.

To set up your UKVI account:

• Download the UK Immigration: ID Check app on a compatible Android or iOS smartphone
• Have available: your date of birth, a working email address, and a mobile number
• Have available: your reference number (BRP number, UAN, or GWF reference from your application)
• Use the app to photograph your passport biographic page and take a digital face photograph (passport-quality selfie)
• If beginning on a laptop or desktop, use the QR code to link your computer session to the phone app
• Follow the on-screen instructions — the process typically takes 15–20 minutes

Once set up, your account shows your eVisa status — validity dates, permitted activities, and conditions. You can generate a share code to prove your status to third parties (employers, landlords, immigration officers) without handing over your passport.

If you cannot access your account: attempt account recovery through the official UKVI Resolution Centre or the UKVI webchat service (available via GOV.UK). Do not leave this to the day before travel. If technical issues persist, UKVI can archive your old account and create a new one linked to your current passport. Contact official UKVI support well in advance of any planned travel.

The complete documents checklist for a UK Standard Visitor Visa application from India:

• Valid passport — minimum 6 months' validity beyond departure from UK; at least 2 blank pages; all previous passports if available
• Completed online application form — VAF1A, with GWF reference number on confirmation page
• Two recent passport-sized photographs — 50x50 mm, white background, no glasses, face centred, taken within 6 months
• Confirmed travel itinerary — flight details, hotel bookings, day-by-day activity plan
• Travel insurance — covering full stay period, minimum £2 million medical coverage
• 6 months' bank statements — all pages, bank-attested or certified; showing consistent healthy balance
• Income Tax Returns (ITR) — last 3 financial years
• Form 16 or salary slips — last 2–3 years for salaried employees; last 3–6 months' salary slips
• Business documents — for self-employed: registration, GST, 3 years audited accounts
• Employment letter — on official letterhead, confirming role, salary, leave approval, and return date
• Proof of ties to India — property ownership, family documents, ongoing financial commitments
• Covering letter — explaining purpose, funding, ties to India, and all relevant circumstances
• Sponsorship documents (if applicable) — UK-based sponsor's bank statements, immigration status, and formal sponsorship letter

All documents in non-English languages must be accompanied by a certified English translation. Ensure all financial documents are original or certified copies — photocopies without certification are typically not accepted.

The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is a digital pre-travel permission introduced for nationals of countries who previously could enter the UK for short stays without any visa or pre-travel authorisation — countries such as the United States, EU member states, Australia, Canada, and Gulf Cooperation Council states.

The ETA became fully mandatory and enforced from 25 February 2026. From that date, visa-exempt nationals from 85 countries who travel to the UK without a valid ETA will be denied boarding by airlines. The ETA costs £16, is valid for 2 years, allows multiple entries, and takes most applicants minutes to process through the official UK ETA app.

However, the UK ETA does NOT apply to Indian passport holders in any way. India is not among the visa-exempt countries eligible for the ETA. Indian nationals are not on the list of 85 ETA-eligible nationalities. The ETA is not an option, a shortcut, or a replacement for the Standard Visitor Visa for Indians. If you are an Indian citizen:

• You cannot apply for a UK ETA
• You do not need to apply for a UK ETA
• You must apply for a Standard Visitor Visa through the full application process
• The February 2026 ETA enforcement news has no bearing on your UK travel requirements

The confusion arises because both the ETA enforcement and the eVisa transition happened on the same date — 25 February 2026. The eVisa change (no more physical sticker) applies to Indian visa holders. The ETA change (mandatory for visa-exempt nationals) does not apply to Indian nationals at all.

Standard processing times from India for a UK Standard Visitor Visa:

In practice, during peak travel seasons (March–May, October–December), standard processing can extend to 4–6 weeks due to application volume. The processing clock starts from the date of your biometric appointment, not from the date you submit the online application.

When to apply: Apply at least 8 to 12 weeks before your intended travel date. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before travel. Applying earlier than 3 months is not possible. Applying 8–12 weeks in advance:

• Provides buffer for standard processing time
• Allows time to respond to any additional document requests from UKVI
• Gives time to reapply if the first application is refused, without losing your travel window
• Reduces the need for expensive Priority or Super Priority services

For visa applications during the Christmas/New Year period, factor in UK public holidays which may extend processing. Applications submitted in October–November for December travel should use Priority Service as a precaution.

The UK government does not publish a specific minimum bank balance figure for Standard Visitor Visa applicants. This is an important and frequently misunderstood point: there is no fixed threshold — unlike some other countries' visa systems.

Instead, UKVI assesses whether you have "sufficient funds to maintain yourself and your dependants throughout your stay without working or accessing public funds". What this means in practice depends on your specific circumstances — the duration of your visit, the costs you will incur, and whether you have a UK sponsor contributing to your expenses.

Practical benchmarks used by most successful applicants:

• For a 1–2 week visit: approximately ₹3–5 lakh in consistently maintained savings is generally considered adequate for a single applicant
• For longer stays: proportionally higher amounts — roughly equivalent to covering all accommodation, food, transport, and activities plus a contingency reserve
• The balance should be consistent over 6 months — a sudden large deposit made days or weeks before application is viewed very negatively
• If a UK sponsor is covering accommodation and some living costs, your own balance requirements are reduced — but the sponsor's financial evidence becomes critical

Beyond balance amount, UKVI looks at: consistency of income (salary or business), evidence that the money is yours (not borrowed), the relationship between your stated income and your bank balance, and whether your spending patterns over 6 months are consistent with your stated income level.

Yes — Indian applicants can apply for long-term Standard Visitor Visas allowing multiple entries over an extended period. Options are:

Important notes on long-term visas:

• A long-term visa does not allow you to live in the UK through successive visits. You cannot use the 6-month allowance, leave briefly, and re-enter for another 6 months continuously. Immigration officers assess whether you are effectively residing in the UK.
• For a first UK visa application, a 6-month single-entry visa is typically more appropriate. Long-term visas are more readily granted to applicants with a demonstrated history of compliance on previous UK visas.
• Long-term visas are assessed on the same criteria as standard visas — you must demonstrate financial sufficiency, genuine purpose, and strong ties to India for each visit you plan.
• From 25 February 2026, long-term visas are also issued as eVisas — no physical sticker. Your UKVI account will show the full 2, 5, or 10-year validity of your permission.

For Indian applicants with family in the UK or regular business travel requirements, the 2 or 5-year long-term visa often represents significant value compared to applying for a new 6-month visa each time.

The arrival experience at UK border control changes noticeably under the new digital system, though the fundamental process remains familiar:

Before you board (at the departure airport in India): Airlines run an automated check through the Home Office database using your passport number and your Advance Passenger Information (API). This check verifies that you hold a valid eVisa linked to the exact passport you're travelling on. If there is a mismatch — such as if you've renewed your passport but haven't updated your UKVI account — the airline will be alerted and will deny you boarding before you leave India.

At UK Border Force (arrival):

• Present your valid passport — the same one linked to your UKVI account
• The Border Force officer scans your passport and your eVisa status is retrieved electronically from the UKVI database in real time
• The officer does not need to see a physical sticker — the digital record is the authoritative check
• Your passport will typically not receive a wet-ink stamp under the new system, though the officer may exercise discretion
• The officer may ask you questions about your visit (duration, accommodation, purpose, finances) — answer clearly and consistently with your visa application
• You may be asked to present your UKVI account screen on your phone showing your eVisa status — have this accessible but it is not normally required

Practical tips: Carry a printout of your UKVI account eVisa status as a backup. Carry your bank statements, hotel bookings, and return flight details. Ensure your phone has internet access before clearing immigration in case you are asked to show your UKVI account. Do not overstay — the eVisa system makes it far easier for UKVI to track entry and departure dates digitally, and overstay consequences are severe.

UK Standard Visitor Visa refusals from India most commonly occur for the following reasons:

• Insufficient financial evidence: Bank balances too low, inconsistent, or showing sudden unexplained deposits. Salary statements not matching bank activity. Solution: provide 6 months of clean, consistent bank statements with certified attestation.
• Weak ties to India: No stable employment, property, family, or financial commitments that convincingly show intent to return. Solution: provide employment letter confirming job retention, property documents, family dependency documentation.
• Inconsistencies in the application: Details in the online form not matching supporting documents — dates, salary figures, accommodation, or travel history. Solution: review every document against every field of the application before submission.
• Vague or implausible covering letter: Purpose of visit not clearly explained, itinerary unrealistic, or the explanations provided do not align with other evidence. Solution: write a precise, honest, well-structured letter that directly addresses purpose, funding, duration, and return intent.
• Previous immigration violations: Overstays, refusals not declared, or criminal records not mentioned. Solution: always declare all previous immigration history honestly — UKVI cross-checks databases and omissions are treated as deliberate misrepresentation.
• Travel insurance not provided or inadequate: Solution: always include travel insurance with medical coverage of at least £2 million for the full stay period.
• Frequent UK visits without clear justification: A pattern of UK visits can suggest the applicant is effectively living in the UK. Solution: ensure each visit has a clear, distinct, documented purpose and that time spent outside the UK between visits is proportionate.

If your application is refused, you will receive a refusal letter explaining the specific reasons. For Standard Visitor Visas, you do not have a right of appeal — but you can reapply immediately with improved documentation addressing the stated reasons. Many refusals are overcome with a stronger second application.

Extensions of a Standard Visitor Visa from within the UK are not routinely granted and are only considered in genuinely exceptional circumstances. In practice, this means:

• Medical emergencies — if you fall seriously ill and are genuinely unable to travel, an extension may be granted for the specific medical period required
• Unforeseen exceptional circumstances entirely outside your control — documented with contemporaneous evidence
• Serious family emergencies in the UK requiring your continued presence

A Standard Visitor Visa cannot be extended simply because you wish to stay longer, your itinerary has changed, or you are enjoying your visit. You are expected to depart by the date your visa expires or by the date 6 months from entry (whichever is earlier as specified on your visa).

If an extension application is necessary in a genuine emergency, you must apply before your current permission expires using the UKVI online service. Overstaying without an extension application in place carries severe consequences: a potential 10-year entry ban, mandatory declaration on all future visa applications, and possible detention at the border on departure.

If you know in advance that you need more than 6 months in the UK, the Standard Visitor Visa is not the appropriate route — you would need to explore the specific visa category that covers your purpose (medical treatment extension, family visa, work visa etc.) from India before travel.

Permitted activities on a Standard Visitor Visa:

• Tourism — sightseeing, exploring UK cities and countryside, attending cultural events, visiting attractions
• Visiting family members or friends who live in the UK
• Business activities — attending meetings, conferences, seminars, or negotiating contracts (not taking up employment)
• Short-term study — courses of up to 6 months at accredited institutions
• Medical treatment — private medical consultations and treatment (with medical letter confirming the need)
• Participating in a permitted paid engagement (specific categories of short-term professional activities)
• Taking part in scientific, academic, humanitarian, or cultural events as a professional
• Accompanying family members who are permitted to be in the UK

Not permitted on a Standard Visitor Visa:

• Working for a UK employer in any capacity — paid or unpaid employment is prohibited
• Providing services to UK clients beyond what is explicitly allowed under the permitted paid engagement rules
• Receiving salary from UK sources during your visit
• Accessing public funds (benefits, NHS services beyond immediate emergency treatment)
• Marrying or registering a civil partnership — this requires a Marriage Visitor Visa
• Living in the UK through frequent or successive visits — the Standard Visitor Visa is for temporary stays only
• Enrolling as a student for a course longer than 6 months

This is one of the most critical practical questions under the new eVisa system. A UK eVisa is electronically linked to the specific passport number used during your visa application. If you renew your passport, the new passport has a different number — and your eVisa is not automatically updated to reflect this.

Your visa remains valid — renewing your passport does not invalidate a UK visa that was granted for a future period. However, you must update your UKVI account immediately to link your eVisa to your new passport number. Without this update:

• When you present your new passport at check-in, the airline's automated API check will not find a valid eVisa linked to that passport number
• You will receive a "no-board" alert and be denied boarding in India
• This will happen even though your visa itself is valid and has not been cancelled

How to update your passport details in UKVI account:

• Log into your UKVI account
• Navigate to the section for updating travel document details
• Enter your new passport number and expiry date
• Use the UK Immigration: ID Check app to re-photograph your new passport if prompted
• Confirm the update — you should receive confirmation that your new passport is now linked

If you encounter technical difficulties with the passport update, contact UKVI through the Resolution Centre or webchat service well in advance of any planned UK travel. Do not leave this update to the last minute — if technical issues arise, resolving them through UKVI support takes time.

The VFS Global biometric appointment is the only in-person step in the UK Standard Visitor Visa process. VFS Global operates as the official partner of UKVI in India, managing Visa Application Centres in:

• New Delhi (multiple centres)
• Mumbai
• Hyderabad
• Chennai
• Bangalore
• Kolkata
• Ahmedabad
• Chandigarh
• Cochin (Kochi)
• Pune

At your VFS appointment you will:

• Submit your original passport and supporting documents (originals and copies as requested)
• Have ten fingerprints taken digitally (all fingers on both hands)
• Have a digital photograph taken at the centre
• Pay any additional VFS service charges (document scanning assistance, courier return etc.) if opted for

The appointment itself typically takes 20–30 minutes. Your passport is retained at the VFS centre for the duration of processing — you cannot travel internationally on that passport until it is returned. Choose your appointment date carefully to ensure you have no other international travel during the 3–6 week processing window.

Children under 5 years of age are exempt from the fingerprint requirement but must still attend with their accompanying parent or guardian. Biometrics are valid for 10 years for adults — if you reapply within this period, you may not need to resubmit biometrics for some applications.

While the UK Standard Visitor Visa must be applied for directly by the individual applicant through the official UKVI online portal — it cannot be processed on behalf of a traveller by a travel agent — a comprehensive UK tour package provides significant value in the surrounding planning and preparation process:

• Document checklist guidance: A good travel consultant can advise on exactly which documents are typically required based on your employment and financial profile, helping you prepare a stronger application package
• Confirmed booking documents for the application: Hotels and travel itineraries need to be confirmed (though not necessarily fully paid) for the visa application — having a tour package in place provides these confirmed documents, which strengthen your application
• eVisa process guidance: Navigating the UKVI account setup, the UK Immigration: ID Check app, and the passport-linking requirement is unfamiliar for first-time applicants — your travel consultant can walk you through the process after approval
• Timing coordination: Knowing processing times, planning the VFS appointment, and sequencing the visa application relative to flight and hotel bookings is complex — a structured approach ensures no element is booked prematurely
• Complete UK itinerary planning: London, Edinburgh, the Cotswolds, Wales, Lake District, Scottish Highlands — a well-built UK itinerary requires expertise that a dedicated travel team provides, covering accommodation, transfers, guided options, and seasonal considerations

Our world tour packages include European and UK-focused itineraries for Indian travellers. For the UAE, which is a popular transit and pre/post UK destination from India, our UAE visa guide provides the parallel information for that route. Contact our travel team to discuss your UK itinerary — we will help you build a trip that is fully prepared for the 2026 eVisa requirements from day one.