# UK Student Visa Appointment from India: Booking Guide > How Indian students book a UK Student visa biometrics appointment: the GOV.UK application, the GWF number, choosing any VFS centre, which paid extras are optional and what happens on the day. _Published: 2026-10-27 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1075_ ## TL;DR Indian students first apply and pay online on GOV.UK (Student visa £558 plus £776 a year healthcare surcharge), receive a GWF reference number and then book a biometrics appointment at any VFS Global centre in India. Standard appointments at free-to-use centres cost nothing; paid extras such as Prime Time slots do not affect the decision, and the standard decision time is 3 weeks. ## Key takeaways - Apply on GOV.UK first; the GWF reference number from that application is what you use to book with VFS Global. - You can choose any VFS centre in India; there is no state-based jurisdiction. - Standard appointments are free; a Home Office 'User Pays' fee of £76.50 applies only at some user-funded centres. - Optional extras such as Prime Time (INR 5,950 in New Delhi) do not affect the visa decision. - Apply up to 6 months before your course starts; the standard decision time is 3 weeks. **To book a UK Student visa appointment from India, first apply and pay on GOV.UK (visa fee £558 plus the £776-a-year healthcare surcharge) to get a GWF reference number. Then book a biometrics slot at any VFS Global centre in India. According to VFS Global, standard appointments at free-to-use centres carry no charge.** ## Article This guide follows GOV.UK and VFS Global UK India pages, as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15. For the full list of UK visas, see our UK visa guide for Indian applicants. ### When can you apply and book? You can apply for a Student visa up to 6 months before your course starts. The VFS appointment comes after the online application, so the six-month window is also the earliest point for booking. UKVI's standard decision time for Student and Child Student visas is 3 weeks. Have these ready before you open the form. GOV.UK's Student visa guide lists: - Your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number from a licensed student sponsor. - Proof of course fees for one academic year (up to 9 months), as shown on the CAS. - Living costs of £1,529 per month in London or £1,171 per month outside London, for up to 9 months. - Evidence that the funds were held for at least 28 days in a row, ending within 31 days of your application. - Proof of English (usually) and a passport valid for your whole stay. ### How do you book a UK student visa appointment, step by step? - Apply and pay on GOV.UK. Pay the £558 visa fee and the immigration healthcare surcharge of £776 per year. You receive a GWF reference number. - Decide how to give documents. Self-upload them online free of charge, or have them scanned at the centre for a fee. - Book on the VFS Global UK India website. Use your GWF reference number and pick your centre. Appointments are mandatory. - Attend the appointment. Give your fingerprints and photograph. Your passport is returned to you at the same appointment. - Wait for the decision. VFS Global does not give status updates while UKVI processes the application. GOV.UK's online service tells you when to expect a decision, and UKVI sends it by letter or email. - Set up your eVisa. Successful applicants get an eVisa. Before travelling, create your UKVI account, link your passport and check the eVisa. ### Which VFS centre can you choose? Any of them. VFS Global says you can select any Visa Application Centre in India before confirming the appointment; there is no state-based jurisdiction. Centre typeCitiesVisa Application CentresChandigarh, New Delhi, Goa, Ahmedabad, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai North, Mumbai South, Pune, Jalandhar, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, KolkataPremium Application CentresVishakhapatnam, Guwahati, Mangalore, Calicut, Kottayam, Indore, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Noida, Lucknow-Alambagh (Nagpur is listed as closed)Standard centres are free to use. VFS states that, apart from the visa fee and healthcare surcharge, the only mandatory charge is the Home Office 'User Pays' fee of £76.50, which applies at some user-funded centres. Check what your chosen centre charges before you confirm. ### Which paid extras can you skip? VFS sells optional services. It also states clearly that they do not affect the visa decision. Prices below are for the New Delhi centre, inclusive of GST; other centres may differ. Optional servicePricePrime Time AppointmentINR 5,950Flexi appointmentINR 6,400Premium LoungeINR 6,050Document Upload AssistanceINR 2,400Remote Document Upload AssistanceINR 1,900Self-Upload Document Checking ServiceINR 2,550UKVI Account Creation ServiceINR 1,200Priority Visa (UKVI)£500Super Priority Visa (UKVI)£1,000Priority and Super Priority are UKVI services booked through VFS. Priority usually gives a decision within 5 working days for most visa applications; Super Priority usually by the end of the next working day after a weekday appointment (2 working days after a weekend or bank holiday appointment). Both are offered at the New Delhi centre (October 2026), and availability depends on the visa type and centre. Most students who apply early in the six-month window do not need them. ### What happens at the appointment? - Your fingerprints and photograph are taken. The photo is captured at the centre as part of biometrics, so there is no separate photo specification to meet. - If you did not self-upload your documents, they can be scanned at the centre for a fee. - Your passport is handed back at the end. It does not stay with VFS. - Documents not in English or Welsh need certified translations. - GOV.UK's general checklist also asks for a tuberculosis (TB) test certificate if you will be in the UK for more than 6 months. ### What happens after you give biometrics? UKVI decides the application; VFS only collects biometrics. You will not get a sticker in your passport. Every successful applicant receives an eVisa, a digital record viewed in a free UKVI account. Home Office statistics for the year ending June 2026 (provisional) show that 96% of sponsored study visa decisions for Indian nationals were grants: 83,958 granted and 3,846 refused out of 87,804 decisions. The figure covers all Indian nationals and describes past decisions, not your chances. ### Mistakes that cost students time - Paying for extras in the belief they help the decision. VFS says they do not. - Holding funds for fewer than 28 consecutive days, or a 28-day period that ends more than 31 days before you apply. - Applying close to the course start date and then needing Priority or Super Priority. - Forgetting to create the UKVI account and link your passport before travel. - Uploading documents in a language other than English or Welsh without certified translations. If parents want to visit you during your course, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters for visa files, from INR 1,000 to INR 3,000. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us. ### Frequently asked questions #### Is the VFS appointment for a UK student visa free? A standard appointment at a free-to-use centre costs nothing, and self-uploading documents is free. Some user-funded centres charge the Home Office 'User Pays' fee of £76.50. #### Do I get my passport back at the UK visa appointment? Yes. The passport is returned at the biometric appointment. Successful applicants receive an eVisa instead of a passport sticker. #### Can I track my UK student visa application through VFS? No. VFS Global does not give status updates while UKVI processes the application. GOV.UK's online service tells you when to expect a decision, and UKVI sends it by letter or email. #### How fast is the UK Priority Visa for students? Priority (£500) usually gives a decision within 5 working days for most applications. Super Priority (£1,000) usually gives one by the end of the next working day after a weekday appointment, where offered. ## Steps 1. **Apply and pay on GOV.UK** — Complete the Student visa application, pay the £558 fee and the £776-a-year healthcare surcharge, and note your GWF reference number. 2. **Choose how to provide documents** — Self-upload your supporting documents online free of charge, or opt to have them scanned at the centre for a fee. 3. **Book with VFS Global** — Use your GWF number on the VFS Global UK India site and pick any Visa Application Centre in India. 4. **Attend the biometrics appointment** — Give fingerprints and a photograph; your passport is returned at the same appointment. 5. **Wait for UKVI's decision** — Standard decision time for Student visas is 3 weeks; UKVI sends the decision by letter or email. 6. **Activate your eVisa** — Create your UKVI account, link your passport and check your eVisa before you travel. ## FAQ ### Is the VFS appointment for a UK student visa free? A standard appointment at a free-to-use centre costs nothing, and self-uploading documents is free. Some user-funded centres charge the Home Office 'User Pays' fee of £76.50. ### Do I get my passport back at the UK visa appointment? Yes. The passport is returned at the biometric appointment. Successful applicants receive an eVisa instead of a passport sticker. ### Can I track my UK student visa application through VFS? No. VFS Global does not give status updates while UKVI processes the application. GOV.UK's online service tells you when to expect a decision, and UKVI sends it by letter or email. ### How fast is the UK Priority Visa for students? Priority (£500) usually gives a decision within 5 working days for most applications. Super Priority (£1,000) usually gives one by the end of the next working day after a weekday appointment, where offered. ## Sources 1. [VFS UK India - How to apply for a UK Visa](https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/gbr/apply-visa) — VFS Global (UKVI partner) 2. [VFS Global UK India - Optional services (New Delhi, INR prices incl. GST)](https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/gbr/premium-services) — VFS Global (UKVI partner) 3. [GOV.UK - Student visa (full guide)](https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/print) — UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK) 4. [GOV.UK - Visa processing times: applications outside the UK](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visa-processing-times-applications-outside-the-uk) — UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK)