United Kingdom tourist visa
You may have read about the UK's quick Electronic Travel Authorisation and hoped it applied to you. It does not — India is not on the ETA list, so an Indian passport holder still needs the full UK Standard Visitor visa to travel for tourism. You apply online at gov.uk, then attend a VFS Global visa application centre in India to give your fingerprints and photograph. One recent change matters: since 25 February 2026 the visa is a digital eVisa, not a sticker in your passport. Your passport is handed back the moment the appointment ends, and your status lives in a UKVI online account. The fee is £135 for a visa valid up to 6 months.
That visa lets you stay up to 6 months per visit — for a holiday, for family and friends, and for certain permitted business or short-study activities. Travel to the UK often? A long-term visitor visa runs for 2, 5 or 10 years, though each single stay is still capped at 6 months. You can apply as early as 3 months before you travel, and a decision usually lands within about 3 weeks of your biometric appointment.
Who this visa is for
- ✓Indian passport holders travelling to the UK for tourism, sightseeing or a holiday
- ✓Applicants visiting family or friends resident in the UK
- ✓Travellers who can show they will leave the UK at the end of the visit and will not make it their main home through frequent or successive visits
- ✓Applicants able to support themselves (and any dependants) during the trip and pay for the return or onward journey
- ✓Holders of a passport valid for the whole of the intended stay in the UK
Visa options for United Kingdom
Standard Visitor visa (up to 6 months)
Single visit of up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family or friends, and permitted business or short-study activities. Current fee £135.
Long-term Standard Visitor visa (2 years)
Multiple-entry visa for frequent visitors; each individual stay is limited to 6 months. Current fee £506.
Long-term Standard Visitor visa (5 years)
Multiple-entry visa; each individual stay is limited to 6 months. Current fee £903.
Long-term Standard Visitor visa (10 years)
Multiple-entry visa; each individual stay is limited to 6 months. Current fee £1,128.
Documents typically required
- ✓Passport valid for the whole of the intended stay in the UK, plus any previous passports held
- ✓Completed online Standard Visitor visa application and visa application centre appointment confirmation
- ✓Recent passport-style colour photograph meeting UK specifications
- ✓Proof of funds to support the trip, typically personal bank statements for the last 6 months
- ✓Travel details and itinerary, including flight and accommodation bookings
- ✓Proof of accommodation in the UK, or an invitation letter and host details if staying with family or friends
- ✓Evidence of ties to India and intent to return, such as an employment or leave letter, business registration, or proof of studies
- ✓Copies of any previous UK or other visas
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
You submit the application online on gov.uk (UK Visas and Immigration), then enrol your biometrics — fingerprints and a photograph — in person at a VFS Global UK visa application centre, of which there are several across India. Because the visa is now a digital eVisa accessed through a UKVI online account rather than a passport sticker, your passport comes back to you at the appointment instead of being held. Standard processing usually takes about 3 weeks; where the visit category and centre allow, Priority (target decision within 5 working days) and Super Priority (next-working-day decision) are available for an extra fee.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indian passport holders need a visa to visit the UK, or can they use the ETA?
You need the full UK Standard Visitor visa. India is not eligible for the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), so the ETA cannot be used to enter the UK for tourism.
How long does the UK Standard Visitor visa take to process?
Usually about 3 weeks from your biometric appointment at the visa application centre. Where available, Priority (target 5 working days) and Super Priority (next working day) services speed this up for an extra fee.
How long can I stay, and can I get a multi-year visa?
Each visit can last up to 6 months. If you travel often, a long-term visitor visa valid 2, 5 or 10 years spares you a fresh application each time — but every individual stay is still limited to 6 months.
Is the UK visa a passport sticker or a digital eVisa?
A digital eVisa. Since 25 February 2026 the UK issues the Standard Visitor visa to Indian applicants electronically, not as a vignette sticker. You still visit a VFS Global centre for biometrics, but your passport is returned at the appointment, and you view and share your status through a UKVI online account.
Do you guarantee the visa?
No, and no one honestly can. The decision rests solely with UK Visas and Immigration. What we do is give you a frank, honest assessment of your case and prepare the strongest possible application. Over the last 2-3 years, our applications have had a 97% success rate.