United Kingdom vs Australia: tourist visa
United Kingdom or Australia for a tourist visa? ₹19,224 vs ₹17,074 all-in, 3–3.5 weeks vs 21–37 days decision, funds and process compared.
Verdict
- Australia is cheaper (₹17,074 vs ₹19,224 all-in)
- United Kingdom decides faster (3–3.5 weeks)
- United Kingdom asks for less money in the bank (₹2.37 lakh vs ₹3.31 lakh)
United Kingdom vs Australia: tourist visa side by side
| United Kingdom | Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa route | Standard Visitor visa | Visitor visa |
| Visa format | Sticker | E-visa |
| Process | sticker visa | e-visa |
| Biometrics | Required | No |
| Interview | No | No |
| Government fee | ₹17,844 | ₹16,569 |
| Vistolane filing fee | ₹1,380 | ₹505 |
| All-in per traveller (sum of the lines above) | ₹19,224 | ₹17,074 |
| Route page fee (official) | £135 per person | AUD 250 per person |
| Processing (route page) | About 3 weeks (15 working days) after biometrics | 50 percent in 21 days, 90 percent in 33 days (Home Affairs, 29 Sep 2026) |
| Decision window | 3–3.5 weeks | 21–37 days |
| Validity | 6 months | 6–12 months in practice (up to 12 months, decided at grant) |
| Stay | Up to 6 months | 3, 6 or 12 months per visit, decided at grant |
| Entries | Multiple | Decided at grant |
| Funds to show (tourist visa) | ₹2.37 lakh | ₹3.31 lakh |
Which is cheaper?
United Kingdom costs ₹19,224 all-in (₹17,844 government fee plus ₹1,380 filing) and Australia ₹17,074 (₹16,569 government fee plus ₹505 filing). Australia is cheaper by ₹2,150 per applicant. Neither figure includes optional attention plans or airport transfers.
Which is faster?
United Kingdom: About 3 weeks (15 working days) after biometrics. Australia: 50 percent in 21 days, 90 percent in 33 days (Home Affairs, 29 Sep 2026). Both windows are the authority's own published figures as read on the route pages; a complete file at submission is the single biggest lever on either.
Which needs less money in the bank?
United Kingdom asks for about ₹2.37 lakh and Australia about ₹3.31 lakh for a tourist visa. United Kingdom is the lower bar. In both, statements must be seasoned for three months and match the plan you describe.
How the processes differ
United Kingdom: sticker visa with biometrics. Australia: e-visa. An e-visa needs no appointment; a sticker visa holds your passport for the decision window; an embassy visa adds an interview and a decision at the window.
Which should you pick for a tourist visa?
For a short trip, weigh speed and entries: United Kingdom decides in 3–3.5 weeks, and United Kingdom gives multiple entries. If you are choosing purely on cost, Australia wins.
Validity, entries and what each visa lets you do
United Kingdom issues sticker valid 6 months, multiple, with a stay of Up to 6 months. Australia issues e-visa valid 6–12 months in practice (up to 12 months, decided at grant), decided at grant, with a stay of 3, 6 or 12 months per visit, decided at grant. Validity is the window in which you may enter; the stay is counted from the entry stamp and the date the officer writes is the one that binds. Neither visa permits paid work, and both expect you to leave before the stay ends; overstays are recorded and shared between many immigration systems.
Documents: what United Kingdom and Australia both ask for
Both applications start from the same core file: a passport valid for the trip with blank pages, recent photos to the destination's specification, a completed form, proof of accommodation and onward travel, bank statements for the last three to six months, travel insurance and a letter from an employer or business registration explaining why you will return. United Kingdom takes fingerprints at a visa application centre, which fixes the earliest filing date to the next free appointment. Preparing the shared file once and adapting the destination-specific items is the practical way to apply for both in one season.
Why applications for either get refused
The refusal reasons are the same in United Kingdom and Australia: funds that do not match the plan, a recent large deposit with no explanation, weak ties to the home country, an itinerary that contradicts the bookings and documents that are expired or inconsistent across the file. A refusal from one is not automatically a refusal from the other, but both forms ask about previous refusals and an undisclosed one is treated as deception. The refusal pages for United Kingdom and Australia list the exact wording used in refusal letters and the fix for each.
Questions, answered
Is United Kingdom or Australia easier to get a tourist visa for?
United Kingdom asks for less money in the bank and United Kingdom decides faster. Approval depends more on clean documents than on the destination; both refuse mainly for inconsistent funds and weak ties.
Can I apply for United Kingdom and Australia at the same time?
Yes for e-visas, since no passport is held. If either is a sticker visa the passport is with that consulate, so sequence the sticker application first or use the second passport option where your country allows one.
Which is better value, United Kingdom or Australia?
Australia is cheaper per applicant, but value depends on validity: United Kingdom is valid 6 months and Australia 6–12 months in practice (up to 12 months, decided at grant). A longer, multiple-entry visa costs less per trip.
Where do these figures come from?
Government fees, processing windows and funds figures are taken from the official United Kingdom and Australia sources cited on each destination page and on the verified route pages and re-checked when the authorities publish changes.