All You Need To Know About UK Tourist Visa: Apply, Duration, Fee, Extend

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So you are planning a tour of the UK. The first thing that you need is a UK tourist visa. The UK visa, also known as a short-stay Visa, is for touring more than 30+ countries for six months.

The UK embassy is the authority that decides to issue the UK visa after a certain process. The government of the UK allocates a visa if someone wants to travel for the following purposes:

To study in the UK
Healthcare checkup
Business tour
Meeting family members
Tourism
Work visa

Is UK Tourist Visa a Must?

UK Tourist Visa

The answer is ‘YES.’ You cannot travel to the UK unless you don’t have a UK tourist Visa. To get a UK visitor visa, you should not have any criminal record, and you’d also need to show your earning source and a well-built bank statement.

See here the list of countries to whom the UK government allow issuing tourist visa:

Afghanistan	Cuba	Kenya	Pakistan
Albania	Northern Cyprus	Kuwait	Peru
Algeria	Djibouti	Kyrgyzstan	Philippines
Angola	Dominican Republic	Laos	Russia
Armenia	Ecuador	Lebanon	Saudi Arabia
Azerbaijan	Egypt	Liberia	Serbia
Bahrain	Ethiopia	Libya	South Africa
Bangladesh	Fiji	Macedonia	Sri Lanka
Bhutan	Gabon	Madagascar	Sudan
Bolivia	Georgia	Malawi	Tajikistan
Bosnia-Herzegovina	Guyana	Mali	Tanzania
Burundi	India	Morocco	Thailand
Cambodia	Indonesia	Nepal	Turkey
Cameroon	Iran	Niger	Ukraine
Chad	Iraq	Nigeria	The United Arab Emirates
China	Jamaica	North Korea	Zambia
Colombia	Jordan	Oman	Zimbabwe

UK Visitor Visa Application Procedure:

In order to apply for a UK visa, you should keep in mind that apply at least 30 days before you plan your holiday trip to the UK. The British High Commission only issues visas for those who are not British nationals.

UK Visa Application

How to Apply for a UK Visitor Visa?

Make sure that you are qualified for the tourist visa.
Fill out the online visa application form.
Passport size photographs 4×6 cm with blue background.
Original national identity card.
Valid passport
Choose the type of visa you need.
Complete biometric details.
Reason for traveling to the UK (should be a strong one like tourism).
Provide a detailed document that shows your UK accommodation info.
How long you will stay in the UK
Original receipt of UK paid tourist visa fees
Traveling dates
The contact information like a home address and mobile number
Medical test reports that should include Tuberculosis test
Certificate of English language course
Provide criminal history
Make an appointment.
Meet the UK government official at the nearest UK embassy

How to Check UK Visitor Visa Application Status?

You can check your UK tourist visa status by visiting the nearest embassy. Also, you can check it online which is a lot easier than paying a visit to the embassy.

Open the British Consulate website in your browser
Log in with your username and password
Put in the tracking ID that you received via email or SMS while applying for the UK standard visitor visa
Complete the remaining UK visitor visa process like entering the date of birth and checking the ‘are you a human’ test
Click the submit button, and you will have your tourist visa status in front of you.

UK Tourist Visa Guide — 13986674 – colorful background of big ben and london bus

UK Tourist Visa processing time?

So you are looking for how long it will take for your UK visitor visa to start the process? On average, the processing time for your UK visa is 6 months.

After the interview or appointment, you will have to wait for 3 months for the final decision from the UK embassy regarding your standard visitor visa application.

UK Tourist Visa Fees

The UK visa fees vary according to your reason for traveling or visiting the UK. For instance:

If you have applied for the standard visitor visa (6 months), it will cost you £95.
If you are traveling to the UK for a healthcare checkup or any other medical reason, it will cost you £190.
In case you have applied for a study visa (12 months), it will cost you £190.
If you have applied for a UK visa from India, it will cost you £100.
If you are traveling to the UK from Pakistan, your standard visitor visa fee would be £98.

For how long can you stay with UK Visitor Visa?

It all depends on the reason you are traveling for. For example,

If you are coming to the UK for traveling under Approved Destination Status, you can stay for 30 days.
If you are coming to the UK for tourism, you can stay for 6 months.
In case you are coming to the UK for meeting family members, your visa would be valid for up to 6 months.
If you are traveling to the UK for a healthcare checkup, your visa would be valid for 11 months.
If you have applied for a study visa, you have to renew the visa after 12 months.

How to extend a UK Visa?

There is a very rare case that you may be able to get your visitor visa extension. The UK government only provides visa extensions for the following reasons:

If you are on a private healthcare checkup and your doctor recommends a longer wait for treatment to be completed. For medical treatment, chances are that the UK government will extend your visa for additional six months.
If you are living in the UK for study purposes and need an extension to complete your education or research work, you may be able to obtain a visa extension for an additional 12 months.
If you are on a tourist visa and want to travel further to the UK, you must apply for an extension before it expires. Getting a tourist visa extension is not easy but if your case is strong you can get a 3-6 month extension.