The UK is one of the most popular tourist destinations. However, people don't visit the country solely for tourism purposes. Many people visit this country to visit their family and friends and cater to business needs. People from the European Union, the US, or other countries exempt from visa policies do not need a visa to travel to the UK. However, nationals of all other countries require a visa to travel to the UK.
This article will inform you about the UK visa for Indian citizens. You will know more about the visa requirements and types and how to apply for them if you want to come to the UK!
What are the different UK visa types available for Indian citizens?
Tourist Visa
The tourist visa is a type of UK visitor visa. With a tourist visa, you can conveniently visit your family or friends or go to the UK simply for tourism. This is a UK standard visitor visa.
You can get a tourist visa for a shorter time or longer. Both visas are for multiple entries. The validity for the short-term visas is 6 months, while the longer-term visas range between 2 and 10 years. The processing time is 15 days for normal issuance and 3-5 days for an urgent visa.
Business Visa
If you wish to travel to the UK for the sole purpose of a business trip, then you need to obtain a business visa.
The business visa allows individuals to conduct business meetings, attend business conferences, sign important business deals, or participate in business negotiations.
The business visa is a short-term visa, valid for 6 months. The visa is a multiple entry visa, meaning you can enter several times within the validity period. However, you can also get a business visa for the long term. You can get business visas with validity for up to 2, 5, and even 10 years. The processing time for the visa is 15 days. However, you can also get an urgent business visa in 3 to 5 days. However, you will be required to pay a higher visa fee for an urgent visa with less processing time.
The business visa is different from the work visa and does not allow you to avail employment opportunities. For that purpose, you will need work visas.
Other Visas
Other visas include the student visa, which is given to students who some educational institute in the UK has sponsored.
With a work visa, you can work in the UK, and this visa can be either short-term or long-term.
There's also the transit visa which allows individuals to pass through the UK to travel to another country.
What are the Required Documents for a UK Visa?
Some general documents are needed regardless of the type of visa you apply for, and some are needed according to the visa type.
Some of the basic requirements include having a valid passport. Ensure that your signed passport is valid for up to six months after departure and that your passport has at least 2 blank visa pages.
Moreover, you should have a passport-size picture, which is preferred if it has a white background.
If you travel to the UK, you should be able to cover your expenses for the trip. Therefore, you should have proof of sufficient funds that show that you can conveniently stay in the UK. This proof can be in the form of bank statements or pay slips.
If you are going on a tourist visa, you may need to provide proof of accommodation whether you are going as a traveler or to visit your family and friends. You need to provide proof of hotel bookings and flight reservation tickets.
A complete travel itinerary stating the reason for your visit and what places you intend to travel to will also be needed. For a business visa, you may need a cover letter describing the reason for your visit.
It is also necessary that you pay the UK visa fees.
How To Obtain the UK Visas?
For many years, people have first scheduled an interview with the visa application center, then gone to the nearest UK embassy in their city/state and proceeded to fill out the application and submit the documents required there. However, as the world has progressed and more modern solutions are presented, you can complete the entire visa process online and get a UK visa online.
VisaHQ is an online visa service platform. The site will tell you everything you need to know about visas here. Therefore, to view the UK visit visa details, you will first choose your home country and the destination as the UK. Once you have done so, all the details will be displayed. You can then complete the UK visa application process, collect all the required documents needed for the online application and submit both. You will then have to wait for the request to be approved.
The visa services provided by VisaHQ are efficient and easy!