How Much Does a UK Visa Cost for Indians in 2026?

That headline fee is only part of the bill for students, workers and families, who also pay the immigration healthcare surcharge. This breakdown uses the Home Office, GOV.UK and VFS Global figures as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15. For eligibility and documents, see our UK visa guide for Indians.

What is the UK visitor visa fee for Indians?

The same Standard Visitor visa covers tourism, family visits and permitted business activities. Each traveller, including children, needs a separate online application and fee.

Extending a visitor stay from inside the UK costs £1,172, and is possible only up to 6 months in total except for medical treatment, academics and PLAB retakes.

How much do student and work visas cost with the healthcare surcharge?

For longer stays, the visa fee is paid together with the immigration healthcare surcharge (IHS). The standard IHS is £1,035 per year; students, their dependants and applicants under 18 pay £776 per year.

On the Skilled Worker route, the employer separately pays a sponsor licence fee of £611 (small businesses and charities) or £1,682 (medium and large organisations).

Which VFS charges are optional, and which are not?

VFS Global states that, apart from the visa fee and healthcare surcharge, the only mandatory charge is the Home Office 'User Pays' fee of £76.50 at some user-funded centres. Standard centres are free to use, and you can self-upload documents at no cost (INR 0).

Everything else is optional. VFS lists these prices for New Delhi, in INR including GST:

• Document Upload Assistance: INR 2,400; Remote Document Upload Assistance: INR 1,900
• Self-Upload Document Checking Service: INR 2,550
• UKVI Account Creation Service: INR 1,200
• Prime Time Appointment: INR 5,950; Flexi appointment: INR 6,400
• Premium Lounge: INR 6,050; Platinum Lounge: INR 22,400
• On Demand Mobile Visa: INR 12,000
• Photocopying: INR 14

VFS states that optional services do not affect the visa decision. Prices at other centres may differ.

Is Priority or Super Priority worth the extra cost?

The standard decision time is 3 weeks for visit, study and most work visas, and 12 weeks for family visas, according to GOV.UK's processing-time guidance. Two optional UKVI services, booked through VFS where offered, shorten that:

• Priority Visa (£500): usually a decision within 5 working days for most applications; family and settlement applications usually 30 working days.
• Super Priority Visa (£1,000): usually by the end of the next working day after a weekday appointment, or 2 working days after a weekend or bank holiday appointment.

Both are offered at the New Delhi VFS centre (October 2026), and availability depends on visa type and centre. They are paid on top of the visa fee. If you can apply 3 weeks or more before travel, the standard service already fits the published timeline. For context on outcomes, Home Office statistics show 514,398 visitor visas granted and 111,749 refused for Indian nationals in the year ending June 2026, a grant rate of 82%; that figure describes past decisions, not your chances.

Why is there no official rupee price for UK visas?

UKVI publishes visa fees and the healthcare surcharge in GBP only. The only official INR prices are for VFS optional services. You apply and pay online on GOV.UK, so the rupee cost depends on the exchange rate applied to your payment. Always check the current GBP amount on the Home Office fees table before you pay.

How did UK visa fees change on 8 April 2026?

GOV.UK lists flight and hotel bookings among the less useful evidence for a visitor visa, so spend on strong financial and employment documents rather than on tickets. If you still want an itinerary or cover letter prepared, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram offers flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters, from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or visit our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Do children pay a separate UK visitor visa fee?

Yes. GOV.UK says each traveller, including children and other family members, needs a separate online application and fee. Children under 5 only have a photo taken at the appointment, with no fingerprints.

Do Indians need a UK transit visa to change flights in London?

Indian nationals normally need a Direct Airside Transit visa, costing £41.50, unless exempt. Holding a valid visa for Canada, New Zealand, Australia or the USA, or a valid US green card, are among the listed exemptions.

Can Indians use the £20 UK ETA instead of a visa?

No. The ETA is only for nationalities that do not need a visa. GOV.UK's visa checker tells Indian nationals coming as tourists that they need a visa, which is the £135 Standard Visitor visa.

Does the Health and Care Worker visa include the healthcare surcharge?

No surcharge applies. The Health and Care Worker visa costs £324 for up to 3 years or £628 for more than 3 years, and holders do not pay the immigration healthcare surcharge.