UK Tourist Visa Insurance Requirements for Indians

Many Indian travellers expect an insurance certificate to be part of the file because other visas they have applied for asked for one. The UK visitor process works differently. This guide is based on GOV.UK and UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) guidance, as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For fees, centres and every UK visa route, see our UK visa guide for Indians.

Is travel insurance mandatory for a UK visitor visa from India?

No. When you apply online on GOV.UK, the information you give and the documents you may be asked for are about your identity, your trip, your money and your ties at home. Insurance is not on that list. GOV.UK asks for:

• A passport or travel document valid for the whole of your stay in the UK.
• Your travel dates, where you will stay, the cost of the trip, your home address and how long you have lived there.
• Your parents' names and dates of birth, your annual income, and any criminal, civil or immigration offences.
• Depending on your circumstances, your travel history for the past 10 years, your employer's address and phone number, your partner's details and details of anyone paying for the trip.
• A tuberculosis (TB) test certificate if you are visiting for more than 6 months.
• Certified translations of any document not in English or Welsh.

You then give fingerprints and a photograph at a VFS Global visa application centre. The photo is taken there as part of your biometrics.

What does GOV.UK say about insurance as evidence?

GOV.UK's "Visiting the UK: guide to supporting documents" (updated 8 October 2026) names several items that are less useful as evidence:

• bank statements or letters issued more than 1 year before you apply
• credit card statements
• hotel bookings
• flight bookings, unless you are transiting
• travel insurance

In practice, a policy document adds little to a UK visitor file. You may still choose to buy cover for your own protection during the trip. That is a personal decision, and it will not make up for weak financial or employment evidence.

Does the immigration healthcare surcharge apply to tourists?

The immigration healthcare surcharge (IHS) is GOV.UK's charge for longer-stay visas. It is usually £1,035 per year, or £776 per year for students, their dependants and applicants under 18, and it is paid as part of the visa application. The visitor fees below, from the GOV.UK fees table of 8 October 2026, are listed without an IHS.

By contrast, a Student visa (£558) carries the IHS of £776 per year, and a Skilled Worker visa usually carries £1,035 per year.

What if you are travelling for medical treatment?

A medical visit is the one visitor case where health costs sit at the centre of the file, and the evidence is about payment rather than insurance. For private medical treatment, GOV.UK asks for a letter from a doctor or consultant giving details of the condition, the estimated cost and likely duration of treatment, and where it will take place.

The medical visitor visa costs £234 and allows a stay of up to 11 months. You need a TB test certificate if you will stay more than 6 months. To extend from inside the UK for treatment, you need a letter from a registered medical practitioner and proof that you have paid for treatment so far; the extension fee is £1,172.

What should your file show instead of a policy?

GOV.UK's guide points to evidence about money and work. For a salaried applicant in India, that means:

• Financial documents that clearly show you have access to sufficient funds, such as bank statements that detail where the money came from.
• Proof of earnings, such as a letter from your employer confirming your start date, salary, role and company contact details.
• A letter from your employer on company headed paper giving your role, salary and length of employment.
• If self-employed: business registration documents or recent invoices confirming ongoing self-employment.
• If a sponsor pays: evidence of the support, the sponsor's funds and your relationship.

Home Office statistics show a visitor visa grant rate of 82% for Indian nationals in the year ending June 2026: 514,398 granted and 111,749 refused out of 626,147 decisions. The rate excludes withdrawn and lapsed cases and covers all Indian nationals applying from outside the UK, not only those applying in India.

Do long-term visas or children's applications change anything?

No insurance rule appears for either. A 2, 5 or 10 year long-term visitor visa still limits each visit to 6 months. Each traveller, including children, needs a separate online application and fee. A child travelling alone needs a parent or guardian's written consent with full contact details, plus details of where the child will live. Children under 5 have only a photo taken at the appointment, and under-16s must attend with an adult.

Mistakes to avoid

• Spending effort on an insurance certificate while sending bank statements that do not show where the money came from.
• Submitting statements or letters issued more than 1 year before you apply.
• Planning a stay longer than 6 months without a TB test certificate.
• Paying for optional VFS services in the hope of a better outcome; VFS states that optional services do not affect the visa decision.
• Forgetting your eVisa: successful applicants get an eVisa, so create your UKVI account and link your passport before you travel.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). For a UK visitor file, a clear cover letter and itinerary help explain your plans alongside your financial evidence. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the UK tourist visa fee for Indians?

The Standard Visitor visa costs £135 and allows stays of up to 6 months. Long-term visitor visas cost £506 for 2 years, £903 for 5 years and £1,128 for 10 years, each allowing up to 6 months per visit.

How long does a UK visitor visa take from India?

UKVI's standard processing time for a visitor visa applied for outside the UK is 3 weeks. The optional Priority Visa service (£500) usually gives a decision within 5 working days, and Super Priority (£1,000) usually by the end of the next working day after a weekday appointment.

Can Indians use the UK ETA instead of a visitor visa?

No. GOV.UK's visa checker says Indian nationals coming as tourists need a visa. The £20 ETA is only for nationalities that do not need a visa.

Is there a VFS fee for a UK visa appointment in India?

No VFS fee is charged for a standard appointment at a free-to-use centre, and you can self-upload documents for INR 0. Some user-funded centres charge the Home Office 'User Pays' fee of £76.50.