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Standard Visitor visa for Indian applicants
Direct answer
Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, Visa counsellors, Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, Patiala. Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Last verified .
Home Office fee
£135
about ₹17,865 at 132.33 INR/GBP, effective 8 April 2026
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Health surcharge
Not payable
This route is exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge
Verified 8 October 2026
Processing time from India
3 weeks
Priority 5 working days, super priority 1
Verified 8 October 2026
Visitor visas granted, Indian nationals
5,14,398
YE June 2026; -9% on YE June 2025
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Summary
In short
The UK Standard Visitor visa costs £135 for up to 6 months, about ₹17,865 at the Home Office rate, under the fee table effective 8 April 2026. The decision turns on Appendix V 4.2: the officer must be satisfied you are a genuine visitor who will leave, with funds that fit your income. A standard decision from India takes about 3 weeks, and priority at £500 aims for 5 working days. The most common Indian mistake is moving a large sum into the account weeks before applying, which the officer reads as borrowed money and refuses under V 4.2(e).
In practice
Worked example
Example: a Ludhiana shop owner visiting his daughter in Leicester. A file like the ones the desk prepares; the figures are from the datasets and dated.
The situation
Harjit Singh, 58, is a fictional hosiery shop owner in Ludhiana with GST registration since 2017. His daughter, a nurse in Leicester with settled status, invites him and his wife for 5 weeks in December for her son's first birthday. His last ITR shows ₹11.4 lakh of business income, his savings account has held about ₹7.8 lakh for two years, and a ₹12 lakh fixed deposit matures in 2028. The shop premises and the family house are in his name, and his younger son runs the shop day to day. He has visited Dubai three times and returned each time within the visa period. His daughter sends a sponsor letter with her eVisa share code, 3 payslips, bank statements and her tenancy agreement, and his wife files her own application with the same evidence.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Visa fee, each applicant (two applications) | £135 each, about ₹17,865 each; £270 or ₹35,730 for both |
| Declared business income, last ITR | ₹11,40,000 |
| Average savings balance over 6 months | ₹7,80,000, with no credit above ₹60,000 |
| Fixed deposit held since 2023 | ₹12,00,000 |
| Trip cost for two, 5 weeks (flights ₹1,60,000, spending ₹1,50,000, insurance ₹18,000) | ₹3,28,000 |
| Trip cost as a share of liquid savings | About 17 percent of ₹19,80,000 |
| Sponsor's gross pay on 3 payslips | £2,900 a month, about ₹3,83,757 |
| Priority service chosen for both | £500 each, about ₹66,165 each; decision in 5 working days |
| VFS Chandigarh add-ons chosen (indicative) | Prime Time slot ₹2,500 and courier ₹700 per person, about ₹6,400 for both |
| Standard decision time if priority is not bought | 3 weeks after biometrics |
Outcome
Both visas are granted for 6 months. The balance fits the declared income, the trip takes a small share of savings, the shop and property give a reason to return, and the sponsor's status and means are proved. The same file would have been refused under V 4.2(e) if the ₹7.8 lakh had arrived as a single credit the week before applying. It would have failed V 4.3 if the daughter had sent only a letter, with no share code or payslips.
The officer’s view
What the officer checks
What the entry clearance officer checks on a visitor file from India
| What they check | Why it matters | Evidence that answers it |
|---|---|---|
| Will you leave the UK at the end of the visit? | Appendix V 4.2(a) requires the officer to be satisfied you are a genuine visitor who will leave. This is the paragraph cited in most Indian refusals. | Employer letter with approved leave and the date you resume work, GST or Udyam certificate for a business, jamabandi or registry for property, school certificates of dependent children, and old passports showing timely returns. |
| Are you living in the UK through repeated visits? | Appendix V 4.2(b) refuses applicants who spend extended periods in the UK through frequent or successive visits. Parents who stayed close to 6 months each time are the usual case. | A dated table of every previous UK visit with the reason for each, the passports with entry and exit stamps, and evidence of your home, pension and medical care in India. |
| Is the purpose permitted and real? | Appendix V 4.2(c) and 4.2(d) require a permitted purpose and no prohibited activity such as work, a long course, or marriage without the right visa. | Invitation naming the occasion and dates, a day-by-day itinerary, cancellable hotel bookings, a conference registration or UK company letter for business, and a UK clinician's letter for medical visits. |
| Can you afford the trip from money that is really yours? | Appendix V 4.2(e) requires sufficient funds for all reasonable costs, including the return journey, without working. The officer compares the balance with your income history. | 6 months of bank statements with the account holder's name, ITR-V acknowledgements for 2 to 3 years, Form 16 or salary slips, fixed deposit receipts, and a source document for every large credit. |
| Is the UK sponsor genuine, lawful and able to pay? | Appendix V 4.3(a) to (c) allows a third party to pay only where the relationship is genuine, the sponsor is not in breach of immigration law, and they can support you for the whole stay. | Sponsor letter stating what they will pay for, their British passport, BRP or eVisa share code, 3 payslips and 3 months of bank statements, a tenancy or council tax bill, and relationship proof such as your birth certificate naming them. |
| Does the online form match the documents? | Part 9, paragraphs 9.7.1 to 9.7.3, allows refusal for false representations, and 9.7.1 brings a 10-year ban where deception is found. Officers cross-check employment, travel history and previous refusals. | A short cover letter that reconciles the form with the file: job title, employer, income, every past visa refusal in any country, and the dates of previous travel. |
| Is there an adverse immigration history? | Part 9, paragraph 9.8.1, makes refusal mandatory for a previous breach such as an overstay within the re-entry ban period, and undeclared refusals damage credibility. | Copies of previous UK, Schengen, US and Canadian visas, any refusal letters with a one-paragraph explanation, and evidence that you left on time after each visit. |
From the desk
Mistakes we see
From files Indian applicants have brought to the desk after a refusal, most frequent first.
| The mistake | What it costs | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| A large sum is transferred into the account 10 days before the statements are printed | The officer cannot establish where the money came from and refuses under V 4.2(e), often adding that the funds may not be genuinely available to you. | Apply after 3 to 6 months of steady balances. If a lump sum is unavoidable, attach its source: a fixed deposit maturity letter, a sale deed, or a gift letter with the giver's statements. |
| A sponsor letter from the UK relative with no proof of their immigration status | V 4.3(b) is not met because the officer cannot confirm the sponsor is lawfully in the UK, so the sponsorship is given no weight and the funds test fails. | Include the sponsor's British passport, BRP or eVisa share code, 3 payslips, 3 months of bank statements and a tenancy or council tax bill with the letter. |
| ITR shows ₹3 lakh of income while the bank statements show a ₹15 lakh balance | The officer doubts the money is yours, or doubts the ITR, and refuses under V 4.2(e) with a note about credibility. | Reconcile income and savings in a one-page funds note. Include business accounts, fixed deposit maturities, rental income, and a spouse's income if the account is joint. |
| Unexplained gaps in employment or a year missing from the travel history on the form | The officer treats the gap as a hidden overstay or job loss and questions your ties under V 4.2(a). | Explain every gap in the cover letter with dates and a document: a relieving letter, a course certificate, or a medical note. |
| Jamabandi, affidavits or a Punjabi employer letter submitted without a certified translation | The document is not considered, so the tie or funds it was meant to prove are treated as unproved. | Attach a full English translation with the translator's name, date, confirmation it is accurate, and contact details, as the Home Office requires. |
| Applying for a Standard Visitor visa when the trip is to get married in the UK | Marriage or giving notice is prohibited under V 4.6, so the application is refused, and a visa obtained this way can lead to refusal of later applications. | Apply for the Marriage Visitor visa at the same £135 fee. A guest at someone else's wedding stays on the Standard Visitor visa. |
| The form says self-employed while the documents show a salaried job, or a past Canada refusal is left undeclared | Part 9, paragraph 9.7, is cited for false representation, and where deception is found the refusal carries a 10-year ban. | Check every answer against the documents before paying, and declare every refusal from any country with a short explanation. |
| Non-refundable flights and hotels bought before the decision | A refusal, or a slow peak-season decision, costs the whole booking on top of the £135 fee, which is not refunded. | Submit a flight reservation and cancellable bookings. Buy tickets only after the vignette is in the passport. |
Step by step
Timeline
From the first document to the decision, in the order Indian applicants actually do it.
Step 1: Decide the visa length and check eligibility
Week 1Confirm the purpose is a permitted visitor activity and pick 6 months or a long-term visa. Run the visitor checklist to see which ties and funds documents you can actually produce.
Step 2: Build the funds history
3 to 6 months before applyingKeep the trip money in one account with normal salary or business credits and no sudden deposits. Gather ITR-V acknowledgements, Form 16 and fixed deposit receipts now, not in the final week.
Step 3: Collect the sponsor pack and ties evidence
Week 2Ask the UK relative for the letter, share code, payslips, statements and tenancy in one go. Obtain the employer leave letter, property papers and relationship proof with certified translations.
Step 4: Complete the gov.uk form and pay the fee
Week 3, up to 3 months before travelAnswer every question to match the documents, including all past refusals. Pay £135 in rupees at the Home Office rate, plus £500 or £1,000 if you choose priority or super priority.
Step 5: Book the VFS appointment
Same day as paymentPunjab applicants use Chandigarh or Jalandhar; standard slots are free and Prime Time slots cost about ₹2,500. Upload documents in advance to avoid scanning charges.
Step 6: Biometrics day
Usually 1 to 2 weeks after bookingBring the passport, appointment letter and printed checklist; 10 fingerprints and a photo are taken. The passport is held unless you bought Keep My Passport While Applying, about ₹4,000.
Step 7: Decision
3 weeks after biometrics, 5 working days on priority, next working day on super priorityApril to July applications from India have run longer than 3 weeks in past years. The decision email arrives first; the refusal letter, if any, is in the passport envelope.
Step 8: Passport return and vignette check
2 to 3 days after the decisionCollect at the centre or pay about ₹700 for courier return. Check the vignette dates and your name before booking flights, and keep the full file for the border officer.
Home Office data
How Indian applicants fare
Indian nationals received 514,398 UK visitor visas in the year ending June 2026, more than any other nationality, though 9 percent fewer than the year before. The refusal rate for India is reported at about 17.8 percent, roughly one application in six. Almost every refusal cites paragraph V 4.2 of Appendix V: the officer was not satisfied you are a genuine visitor who will leave. A refused visitor visa has no appeal, so the file has to be right the first time. Standard decisions take about 3 weeks from India; priority at £500 and super priority at £1,000 are usually available at Indian centres.
The rules
Eligibility
- You will leave the UK at the end of your visit and will not live there through frequent or successive visits (Appendix V 4.2)
- Your purpose is permitted: tourism, seeing family or friends, business meetings and conferences, private medical treatment, or an academic visit of up to 12 months
- You can pay for your trip and support yourself without working or claiming public funds (Appendix V 4.3), or a sponsor in the UK or India will
- You will not do paid or unpaid work for a UK employer, and will not study a course longer than 6 months
- You will not marry or give notice of marriage in the UK: that needs the Marriage Visitor visa
- Medical visitors must show a UK clinician's letter with the condition, treatment, cost and length of stay, and proof you can pay
- No adverse immigration history that engages Part 9 suitability grounds, such as a past overstay or a false document
- Long-term visas need a clear travel pattern, such as parents visiting children each year, and the same 6-month limit per visit applies
Checklist
Documents, named the Indian way
- Passport valid for the whole trip, plus old passports showing previous UK, Schengen, US or Canadian visas
- Last 6 months of bank statements for the account that pays for the trip, with every large credit explained
- Income Tax Returns (ITR-V acknowledgements) for the last 2 or 3 years, and Form 16 if salaried
- Salary slips for 3 to 6 months and an employer letter confirming approved leave and the date you return to work
- Business owners: GST registration, Udyam or shop act certificate, company bank statements and current account ITR
- Fixed deposit receipts, PPF or mutual fund statements, and property papers (registry, jamabandi or fard) as ties and funds
- Sponsor letter from the UK relative with their passport or BRP, eVisa share code, 3 payslips, bank statements and tenancy or council tax bill
- Relationship proof for family visits: birth certificates, marriage certificate, family photographs, or a ration card showing the family
- Day-by-day itinerary, hotel bookings that can be cancelled, and a flight reservation (do not buy tickets before the decision)
- Business visitors: invitation from the UK company on letterhead, your company's letter of introduction and conference registration
- Medical visitors: Indian doctor's referral, UK hospital letter with quoted cost, and evidence of funds beyond the treatment cost
- Students and retired applicants: bonafide certificate with leave letter, or pension slips and the family's funds with a relationship proof
In rupees
Cost from India, in rupees
| Charge | GBP | INR |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Visitor, up to 6 months application fee | £135 | ₹17,865 |
| UK Visa Desk all-in filing price, GST includedPaid to Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd. Home Office fees are paid by you on gov.uk. | ₹4,999 | |
| Required Home Office charges plus our filing price | £135 | ₹22,864 |
Fees from the Home Office table effective 8 April 2026, verified 8 October 2026; converted at 132.33 INR per GBP (8 October 2026). Pass-through charges paid on gov.uk; card and bank margins extra. Optional lines are not in the total.
Risk
Why Indian applications are refused
- V 4.2(a): the officer is not satisfied you will leave the UK, usually because your job, income or family ties in India look weak on paper
- V 4.2(c) and V 4.3: funds do not match your declared income, a large deposit appeared just before applying, or the trip costs too large a share of your savings
- V 4.2(b): frequent or long visits suggest you are making the UK your main home, common for parents who stayed 5 to 6 months on each previous visit
- Sponsor problems: the UK relative's income or accommodation was not evidenced, or the relationship was not proved
- Inconsistency: the online form says one thing (employment, travel history, purpose) and the documents say another
- Part 9 suitability (9.7 and 9.8): a false document or a statement the officer treats as deception, which can bring a 10-year ban
- Purpose not permitted: the plan looked like work, a long course, or treatment on the NHS rather than paid private care
Genuine visitor: will leave the UK at the end of the visit
The officer was not convinced you would go back to India when your trip ends. This is the most common refusal paragraph for Indian visitors. It is about your 'ties': job, family, property, business, studies, and whether the trip makes sense for someone in your position.
What to fix: ITR acknowledgements for 2 to 3 years, Form 16, salary slips and 6-month statements that reconcile with each other; employer letter confirming approved leave and the date you resume work; property papers (jamabandi, registry), business registration (GST, Udyam), fixed deposit receipts.
Decode V 4.2(a)Genuine visitor: will not live in the UK through frequent or successive visits
The officer thinks you are using visit visas to effectively live in the UK, usually because of long or back-to-back stays with a child or spouse there. Common for parents of UK-based Indians on long-term visas.
What to fix: show the pattern of past visits honestly with dates and a reason for each; keep visits well under 6 months and leave real gaps; evidence of your own home and life in India (pension, property, medical care, community).
Decode V 4.2(b)Genuine visitor: genuinely seeking entry for a permitted purpose
The officer did not believe the reason you gave for the trip, or the reason is not one a visitor is allowed to come for. Tourism, visiting family, short business meetings, short courses and medical treatment are permitted; a job, long study or settling are not.
What to fix: a dated itinerary with bookings or at least quotes; invitation letter with the host's status document, address proof and relationship evidence; for business: letters from both companies naming the meetings, dates and who pays.
Decode V 4.2(c)Free tools
Tools for this route
Fee calculator in rupees
Every Home Office fee and the health surcharge, totalled in rupees at a dated rate.
Visitor checklist
Bank statement, sponsor letter and ties evidence for a visitor file.
Refusal reason decoder
Paste the paragraph from your refusal letter and read what it means.
Processing times tracker
Standard, priority and super priority times for Indian applicants, updated monthly.
Questions
Questions Indian applicants ask
How much is the UK visitor visa from India in 2026?ShowHide
£135 for the 6-month visa, which the Home Office charges in rupees at about ₹17,865. Add about £500 for priority or £1,000 for super priority if you want a faster decision, plus any VFS add-ons you choose. Our fee calculator converts the total at today's rate.
How much bank balance do I need for a UK tourist visa?ShowHide
There is no fixed figure. The officer compares the cost of your trip with your income and savings over 6 months. A balance built up gradually that covers the trip comfortably, with normal salary credits and spending, is far stronger than a large sum deposited last month.
Can my parents in Punjab get a 6-month visa to visit me in the UK?ShowHide
Yes. Parents usually apply with a sponsor letter from you, your payslips and bank statements, your eVisa share code and your tenancy. They still need their own ties: pension, land records, other children in India, and a history of returning from previous trips.
Is a 2, 5 or 10 year visa worth it?ShowHide
Only if you have a reason to travel often, such as children settled in the UK. Each visit is still limited to 6 months. Officers also look at your past visits: if you stayed close to 6 months every time, a long-term visa may be refused or cut to 6 months without a refund of the difference.
Can I appeal a refused UK visitor visa?ShowHide
No. Visitor refusals from India carry no right of appeal or administrative review. The remedy is a fresh application that answers every paragraph of the refusal letter. Paste your letter into our refusal decoder to see what each paragraph means and what to fix.
How long does the UK visitor visa take from India?ShowHide
The Home Office target is 3 weeks for a standard decision. Priority (about 5 working days) and super priority (next working day) are usually offered at Indian centres but can be switched off in busy periods. Our processing-times tracker shows the current position.
Can I attend a business meeting or conference on this visa?ShowHide
Yes. Meetings, conferences, trade fairs, site visits and negotiating contracts are permitted business visitor activities. You cannot do the work itself for a UK client, be paid by a UK company, or fill a job. Carry the invitation and your Indian employer's letter.
Can I come for medical treatment in the UK?ShowHide
Yes, as a medical visitor. You need a letter from the UK clinician naming the condition, the treatment, its cost and the expected length of stay, and you must show you can pay privately. If treatment is likely to take more than 6 months, an 11-month medical visa exists.
Do I need a sponsor letter if I am paying for the trip myself?ShowHide
No. A self-funded applicant needs only their own funds and ties. A sponsor letter helps when a relative is hosting you or paying, and then the sponsor's documents must be as complete as yours.
Does a Schengen or US visa help my UK application?ShowHide
A clean travel history with timely returns is strong evidence under V 4.2. It does not replace funds and ties, but a file that shows past compliance is usually assessed more favourably than a first-time traveller's.
- Punjab licence: 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024valid to 22 July 2029
- CIN: U52291PB2024PTC060508Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd
Dataset dates: fees 8 October 2026. No outcome is guaranteed.
Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Applicants outside the UK only; applicants in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.