Visa guide · Indian passport holders
United Kingdom visa for Indian citizens
Indian citizens apply for a United Kingdom visa through VFS Global and the embassy. The published fee for Standard Visitor visa is £135. Processing time (Standard Visitor / Marriage Visitor / Transit): 3 weeks. Application locations listed include Chandigarh, New Delhi, Goa, Ahmedabad and Gurugram (14 more listed below). Sources checked on October 10, 2026.
United Kingdom visa for Indians — key facts
- Visa fee
- £135Standard Visitor visa
- Processing time
- 3 weeksStandard Visitor / Marriage Visitor / Transit
- Where to apply
- 19 locations listedChandigarh, New Delhi, Goa…
- Insurance required
- Not published
Overview
How do Indian citizens apply for a United Kingdom visa?
Who handles applications in India
VFS Global is an official partner of UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). Applicants check which visa they need, apply and pay online on GOV.UK (receiving a GWF reference number), then book an appointment at a VFS Visa Application Centre to give biometrics (fingerprints and photograph); supporting documents can be self-uploaded online or scanned at the centre for a fee. The passport is returned at the biometric appointment and successful applicants are issued an eVisa, accessed via a UKVI account.
How to apply from India — step by step
- 1
Complete the application form
Fill in the United Kingdom visa application form linked from the official pages below.
- 2
Prepare your documents
Gather the documents listed in the "Documents required" section — the common list plus the checklist for your visa category.
- 3
Book an appointment
Book an appointment as described on the VFS Global / embassy pages linked below.
- 4
Submit your application
Submit at a VFS Global centre or other listed location: Chandigarh, New Delhi, Goa, Ahmedabad, Gurugram, Bengaluru and others listed below.
- 5
Give biometrics
Attend in person for biometrics where the official pages require it.
- 6
Pay the fees
Pay the visa fee shown in the "Visa fees" section.
Steps follow the official pages in the Sources section; always follow the latest instructions there.
Before you apply
- Check the documents required for your visa category
- Get photos to the photo specifications
- Check the travel medical insurance rule
- Note the visa fee and processing time
- Prepare a flight reservation, hotel booking, itinerary and cover letter if your checklist asks for them — our documentation packages start at INR 1,000 (dummy ticket, dummy hotel booking)
Visa fees
How much is the United Kingdom visa fee for Indian citizens?
Standard Visitor visa
£135
Maximum stay 6 months
Standard Visitor visa for medical reasons
£234
Maximum stay 11 months
Standard Visitor visa for academics
£234
Maximum stay 12 months
2 year long-term Standard Visitor visa
£506
6 months per visit
5 year long-term Standard Visitor visa
£903
6 months per visit
10 year long-term Standard Visitor visa
£1,128
6 months per visit
Student visa (from outside the UK)
£558
Plus immigration healthcare surcharge
Skilled Worker visa (from outside the UK)
£819 (up to 3 years) / £1,618 (more than 3 years) per person
Immigration salary list jobs: £628 / £1,235. Healthcare surcharge usually £1,035 per year; maintenance funds at least £1,270
Service fee: Not published by VFS Global or the embassy — check the official links below.
Checklist
What documents are required for a United Kingdom visa from India?
All applicants
7 items
- Passport or travel document valid for the whole of your stay in the UK
- Online application information: travel dates, where you'll stay, trip cost, home address and duration, parents' names and dates of birth, annual income, any criminal/civil/immigration offences
- Depending on circumstances: travel history for past 10 years, employer's address and phone, partner's details, details of anyone paying for the trip, details of family in the UK
- Tuberculosis (TB) test certificate if visiting for more than 6 months
- Certified translations of any documents not in English or Welsh
- Biometrics (fingerprints and photo) at the visa application centre
- VFS: colour copies of passport showing evidence of travel to other countries recommended when self-uploading
Standard Visitor
1 item
- Additional documents if visiting to study, as an academic, for an Erasmus+ placement, for a permitted paid engagement, or for medical reasons
Skilled Worker
1 item
- Proof of at least £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days (unless exempt)
Photo
What are the United Kingdom visa photo specifications?
- Size
- Not published
- Background
- Not published
- Photo taken at the visa application centre as part of biometrics
Insurance
Is travel medical insurance required for a United Kingdom visa?
Not a visa requirement; immigration healthcare surcharge applies to longer-stay visas
Processing
How long does United Kingdom visa processing take?
- Standard Visitor / Marriage Visitor / Transit
- 3 weeks
- Student / Child Student
- 3 weeks
- Family visas (Partner or spouse, Parent, Child, Adult dependant relative)
- 12 weeks
- Work visas (Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, temporary work, Global Talent, India Young Professionals Scheme etc.)
- 3 weeks
- British National (Overseas)
- 12 weeks
- When to apply
- Visit visas earliest 3 months before travel; most work visas 3 months before start date; Student 6 months before course start
Visa types
Which United Kingdom visa types can Indian citizens apply for?
Visit visas
- Standard Visitor
- Marriage Visitor
- Chinese tour group
- Transit (Direct Airside Transit visa, Visitor in Transit visa)
Study visas
- Student
- Child Student
- Study English in the UK: Short-term student (6 to 11 month English language courses)
Family visas
- Partner or spouse
- Parent
- Child
- Adult coming to be cared for by a relative
Ukraine visas
- Homes for Ukraine
Popular work visas
- Skilled Worker
- Health and Care Worker
Temporary work visas
- Government Authorised Exchange
- Charity Worker
- Creative Worker
- International Agreement
- Seasonal Worker
- Religious Worker
Work visas you can apply for without a job offer
- Global Talent
- Youth Mobility Scheme
- India Young Professionals Scheme visa
- UK Ancestry
- High Potential Individual (HPI)
Work visas to start a business
- Innovator Founder
- Start-up
Work visas for an overseas employer
- Overseas Domestic Worker
- Graduate Trainee
- Secondment Worker
- Senior or Specialist Worker
- Representative of an Overseas Business
- Service Supplier
- UK Expansion Worker
Other visas and permits
- British National (Overseas)
- International Sportsperson
- Minister of Religion
Where to apply
Where do Indian citizens apply for a United Kingdom visa?
- Chandigarh
- New Delhi
- Goa
- Ahmedabad
- Gurugram
- Bengaluru
- Mysuru
- Cochin
- Thiruvananthapuram
- Mumbai North
- Mumbai South
- Pune
- Jalandhar
- Jaipur
- Chennai
- Hyderabad
- Lucknow
- Kolkata
- Premium Application Centres: Vishakhapatnam, Guwahati, Mangalore, Calicut, Kottayam, Indore, Bhopal, Nagpur (closed), Bhubaneswar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Noida, Lucknow-Alambagh
FAQ
United Kingdom visa for Indians — frequently asked questions
Answers built only from the VFS Global and embassy pages listed in the Sources section.
How much is the United Kingdom visa fee for Indian citizens?
Standard Visitor visa: £135; Standard Visitor visa for medical reasons: £234; Standard Visitor visa for academics: £234. 5 more fee rows are listed on this page.
What documents are required for a United Kingdom visa from India?
Passport or travel document valid for the whole of your stay in the UK; Online application information: travel dates, where you'll stay, trip cost, home address and duration, parents' names and dates of birth, annual income, any criminal/civil/immigration offences; Depending on circumstances: travel history for past 10 years, employer's address and phone, partner's details, details of anyone paying for the trip, details of family in the UK; Tuberculosis (TB) test certificate if visiting for more than 6 months; Certified translations of any documents not in English or Welsh; Biometrics (fingerprints and photo) at the visa application centre. Plus 1 more items listed on this page. Category-specific checklists are listed for 2 visa categories.
How long does United Kingdom visa processing take for Indians?
Standard Visitor / Marriage Visitor / Transit: 3 weeks; Student / Child Student: 3 weeks; Family visas (Partner or spouse, Parent, Child, Adult dependant relative): 12 weeks.
Where do Indian citizens apply for a United Kingdom visa?
Applications go via VFS Global + embassy. Locations listed: Chandigarh, New Delhi, Goa, Ahmedabad, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai North, Mumbai South, Pune, Jalandhar, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Kolkata, Premium Application Centres: Vishakhapatnam, Guwahati, Mangalore, Calicut, Kottayam, Indore, Bhopal, Nagpur (closed), Bhubaneswar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Noida, Lucknow-Alambagh.
Is travel medical insurance required for a United Kingdom visa?
Not a visa requirement; immigration healthcare surcharge applies to longer-stay visas
Which United Kingdom visa types can Indian citizens apply for?
Visit visas, Study visas, Family visas, Ukraine visas, Popular work visas, Temporary work visas, Work visas you can apply for without a job offer, Work visas to start a business, Work visas for an overseas employer and Other visas and permits. 37 visa types are listed on this page.
Sources
Sources
- VFS UK India - How to apply for a UK VisaVFS Global · Checked on · https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/gbr/apply-visa
- VFS UK India - Visa Application CentresVFS Global · Checked on · https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/gbr/attend-centre
- GOV.UK - Apply for a Standard Visitor visaEmbassy / official government site · Checked on · https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor/apply-standard-visitor-visa
- GOV.UK - Visit the UK as a Standard VisitorEmbassy / official government site · Checked on · https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor
- GOV.UK - Visa to pass through the UK in transitEmbassy / official government site · Checked on · https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa
- GOV.UK - How to apply for a visa to come to the UKEmbassy / official government site · Checked on · https://www.gov.uk/apply-to-come-to-the-uk
- GOV.UK - Visa processing times: applications outside the UKEmbassy / official government site · Checked on · https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visa-processing-times-applications-outside-the-uk
- GOV.UK - Student visaEmbassy / official government site · Checked on · https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/how-much-it-costs
- GOV.UK - Skilled Worker visa: how much it costsEmbassy / official government site · Checked on · https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs
Machine-readable version: /visa/india/uk/markdown
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