Do You Need to Apply for a UK Visa? Where can you apply for a UK Visa?

Do You Need to Apply for a UK Visa?

A few countries do not need a visa to the UK. You should see if your country is among these countries or not. You don’t need a UK visa if you are:

• A citizen of EEA.
• A citizen of Swiss.
• A citizen of Commonwealth

You can check the list of the countries that need a UK visa from here.

Also, if you are from:

• Kuwait
• Oman
•  Qatar
•  The United Arab Emirates

You could get an electronic visa waiver (EVW). Citizens of the mentioned countries can work and study for up to six months with an EVW.

If you are from:

•  India
•  China

and have an Irish visa, which has been validated as BIVS (British Irish Visa Scheme), you may enter the UK without a visa.

In case you are from any other country, you need a visa to enter the UK.

Picking the Right Type of UK visa

There are different UK visa types. Each one of them has its features. They are for different purposes. The UK visa application process depends on the:

• Visa type
• Requirements
• Purpose of visiting

The purpose of your travel regulates the type of visa you need:

• UK Tourist Visa-the the people who want to visit the UK to:
  
  • get married,
  • private medical treatment,
  • business,
  • visit friends or family members,
  • etc.
• UK Transit Visa –the people who need to pass the UK in transit to another country.
• UK Work Visa – the people who want to get a job in the UK.
• UK Study Visa – the people who want to visit the UK to register at a university/study course. It divides into two visas:
  
  • UK short-term study visa.
  • UK long-term study visa that’s called Tier 4 Visa.
• Other visas – It includes a visa to join a relative living in the UK, start a business in the UK.

Gathering the Required Documents for UK Visa

As for all visas, you have to gather some documents to submit to the UK authorities.

1. The UK Visa application form
2. Your passport– It must be issued in the last 10 years, with two blank pages. Also, it must be valid for no less than three months after the planned date of return.
3. Your travel history record for the past 10 years.
4. Financial documents that prove you have enough funds to cover your travel:
   
   • Salary proof, like a letter from your employer. It must include the start date of employment, salary, role, company contact details.
   • Bank statements
   • Someone else will cover your costs. It can be a business, a friend, or a relative. They should provide the documents that they have enough funds to support you, your dependents, or your family.
5. Legal residence proof in your home country.
6. Cover letter signed by you mentioning:
   
   •  name
   • designation
   • passport number
   • travel purpose
   • duration of the visit
7. Details of the place you will stay
8. Your address in the home country and how long you’ve lived there
9. Your parents’ names and dates of birth
10. Salary proof
11. The contact details and address of your employer.
12. Details of civil, immigration, or criminal offenses you have committed.
13. The contact details and addresses of your relatives in the UK.
14. If you have a partner, his/her name, date of birth, and passport number

Accomplishing the online application form

You have to complete the UK visa online application form. It involves questions about your personal information:

• Your first name and last name.
• Your nationality.
• The country you are staying in.
• Tour marital status.
• Your personal phone numbers.
• The reason for traveling to the UK.
• Your passport number.
• Different information depending on your visa.

If the information you fill in the online application form doesn’t comply with the information in your documents,  your application will be rejected!

The Visa Appointment Requirements

You should complete the UK visa application form on the UK government website. After completing it, you should pay the fees online.

Then, you choose a UK visa application center and reserve an appointment.

At the appointment, you submit your printed application and supporting documents. The visa officer will examine them. They may ask you more questions to confirm your information.

You also have to submit your biometric information. It involves a scan of your fingerprints and a photograph.

Where can you apply for a UK Visa?

You have to apply for a UK visa from one of the visa application centers in your country. The British Embassies and Consulates do not issue visa applications.

You can apply from:

1. VFS Global
2. TLS Contact

Such companies work on visa applications on behalf of the UK Visa and Immigration service. You will send your application to them. Then they send the applications to the British Embassy or Consulate for processing.

To know about the company you need to work with, visit GOV. UK’s website. In the site, click on “Visas and immigration” part.

Extending the UK Visa

It is possible to extend your UK visa in the UK. Yet, it depends on the type of visa you have. The top extension time for a UK visitor visa is six months.

Let’s sum up …

In this blog, we covered all you need to know about the UK visa application. The application process, the right kind of visa, the groups who need to apply for a UK visa, and etc.  got explained.

To find out more about the visa that suits you, go through the menu of the site. You can find all the UK types of visas at the left sidebar.

You can check visalibrary.com to find more information about other countries’ visas.

In case you have some experience, please write it down in the comment section. Your comments let the readers choose better and avoid mistakes. Conveying your experiences as comments is a great help for applicants.