UK visa from India: requirements, fees and application help

Do Indian passport holders need a UK visa?

Yes. Indian citizens need a UK Standard Visitor visa before travelling to the United Kingdom for tourism, to visit family or friends, or for short business meetings. The UK Standard Visitor visa (GBP 135, up to 6 months) is applied for online; Vistolane completes the form, prepares your file and books your VFS biometrics appointment, which you attend in person. UKVI decides within about 3 weeks of biometrics. New grants are issued as a digital eVisa linked to your passport, so there is no sticker to collect.

The application is made online on GOV.UK, followed by a biometrics appointment at a VFS Global UK centre in India. VFS Global UK centres operate in 14 Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Chandigarh and Kochi; most decisions arrive by e-mail and the passport is returned by courier.

UK visa requirements from India: document checklist

Every UK visa application from India needs the core set below; the second list is what UK officers look at most closely. Vistolane checks each document against the UK checklist before anything is submitted.

• Passport valid for at least six months beyond your return date, with two blank pages
• Two recent photographs to the destination's specification
• Completed application form (we fill it with you and check every field)
• Return flight reservation and accommodation for the whole stay
• Bank statements for the last three to six months showing regular income
• Employment letter with approved leave, or business registration if self-employed
• Income-tax returns for the last two to three years
• Travel insurance covering the whole stay (mandatory for Schengen, recommended elsewhere)

Specific to the UK Standard Visitor visa:

• Six months of bank statements whose salary credits match the employment letter
• Last three years' income-tax returns (ITR-V)
• Evidence of ties to India: property papers, family, continuing employment or studies
• Sponsor's bank statements, immigration status and invitation letter if someone in the UK is hosting or paying
• Day-by-day itinerary that matches the length of stay you request

UK visa fees from India

Government fees are paid at the official rate and never marked up; the rupee figure follows the live exchange rate on the day you pay. Pay when you are ready: your account, details and document uploads are open before payment, and the review starts once the payment is in. Only the Vistolane fee is refundable; government fees never are. Fee re-verified against visa-fees.homeoffice.gov.uk on 2026-11-04.

UK visa processing time

visa-fees.homeoffice.gov.uk publishes a processing time of 3 weeks for the UK Standard Visitor visa. Vistolane quotes 3–3.5 weeks including its own safety buffer and guarantees the date the file is lodged. Appointment availability adds to this in peak season, so the appointment is the first thing we book.

Validity: Six months, multiple entry, with each visit normally up to six months; 2, 5 and 10-year long-term visitor visas cost more and suit frequent travellers.

How to apply for a UK visa from India with Vistolane

1. Check eligibility. Two minutes online: passport, purpose, dates and funds. You see the UK Standard Visitor visa route, the all-in cost and a guaranteed filing date.
2. Upload documents. Photograph or upload each item on the checklist in the portal. Automated checks flag expired passports, short statements and date mismatches; a specialist then reviews the file.
3. Forms and appointment. We complete the UK application form with you, pay the government fee at the official rate and book the biometrics appointment at the earliest available slot.
4. Lodge and track. The file is lodged by the guaranteed date. Every status change appears in your portal and by WhatsApp or e-mail; you can see exactly where the application is at any time.
5. Decision and travel. When the visa is issued we check the details against your passport and itinerary, and tell you what to carry at the border.

Why UK visas get refused, and how we prevent it

Most UK refusals for Indian applicants trace back to the file, not the applicant. The patterns below come from refusal letters handled on the platform.

• Large unexplained deposits in the months before the application
• A sponsor letter without the sponsor's own bank statements and UK status
• A purpose of visit that the itinerary and the leave letter do not support
• Previous refusals or overstays left off the form

A refusal is not a ban. Vistolane reads the refusal letter, fixes the stated reason and re-files with a short cover note, usually within the same week.

Why apply for a UK visa through Vistolane

• Fixed fee shown before you start; government fees at the official rate, never marked up
• Documents checked against the UK checklist by software and by a specialist before submission
• Guaranteed filing date: lodged on time or the Vistolane fee is refunded
• Application tracking in one portal, with WhatsApp and e-mail updates at every step
• Licensed partners for work, study, family and settlement routes if your trip is more than a visit

Questions, answered