With the convenience of applying for a tourist visitor visa UK online via the UK government website, the process has become so much easier and faster. Also, it is a good idea to get yourself international travel insurance when traveling.

Citizens of India are not allowed to acquire a visa at their landing when entering the UK. Any transit, tourism, study, or work purposes for which you are traveling to the UK require a visa. For the Keep reading forest requirements, application process, and fee guide, keep applying for a UK  Visitor Visa.

One must apply for a Standard Visitor visa for the UK online before traveling there.

A Standard Visitor visa costs £115 and is valid for 6 months. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before travel.

If one has frequent trips to the UK, he may apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa instead.

Here is how you can apply for a UK Visitor Visa as an Indian:

Online Application: Visit the official website of the UK government and fill out the application form with accurate and up-to-date personal information. 

Payment of Visa Application Fees: You need to use the accepted payment methods to pay your visa fees.

Schedule an appointment: Schedule an appointment at the Visa Application Centre and attend it on the allocated date. 

Submit your Documents: You need to submit all necessary documents such as the supporting documents along with your visa application form.

Visa Processing: After submitting the documents, you are required to wait for the visa processing to be completed. 

Collecting your visa: Once your UK visitor visa gets approved, you can visit your visa application center or even opt for a courier service to collect your visa. 

Documents required for UK Visitor Visa 

Most important of all is submitting several mandatory documents according to the requirements of a tourist visa application for the UK. Here is a breakdown: 

Passport - Ensure that it is valid for the whole period of stay in the UK. It must have at least one clear page to accept a visa. 

Travel Itinerary - You need to provide a detail for your intended travels, such as booking accommodations and reservations for flights. 

Financial Evidence - Evidence of the capacity to finance the stay such as recent salary slips or bank statements.

Purpose of Visit - Mention the intention of the trip, specifying the areas to travel within the UK.

Proof of Return - In support of this, include a return ticket or evidence of obligations to return home post-visit. 

Additional Documents - Depending on how it applies to you, submit further necessary documents such as issuing marriage certificates, birth certificates, and copies of past visas into the UK.

Finally, the documents should be arranged in the order provided by the application guidelines with a completed visa application form on top accompanied by all travel, identification, and financial documents.

What are the Permitted Activities as a Standard Indian Visitor in the UK?

You can visit the UK as a Standard Visitor for the following reasons as an Indian: 

• Tourism purposes such as a holiday or a vacation

• Being a volunteer with a registered charity for a maximum of 30 days

• Seeing family or friends

• Working your way through the UK to another country- for transit purposes 

• Visiting the UK for certain business activities such as attending an interview or a meeting 

• For a 'paid engagement’ that is permitted as an expert in your profession, such as lecturing or performing

• To participate in a recreational course of a maximum of 30 days, such as a dance course

• Medical reasons

• Taking on a school exchange program

• For a study, placement, or examination purposes 

• Visiting the UK as an academic, a dentist, or a senior doctor 

However, you cannot do the following activities:

• Do unpaid and paid work with a UK business or work as a self-employed person unless it is a permitted paid event or engagement 

• Get public economic support (benefit) 

• For registration of civil partnerships or marriages or the giving notice of marriage or civil partnership; for such purposes, you need to apply for a Marriage Visitor Visa.

• Spend long periods in the UK through frequent or successive visits.

Eligibility Requirements for a UK Visitor Visa for Indian Applicants

A passport or travel document is necessary for entry into the UK for any visa applicant. It should be valid for the entire duration of your stay.

To be eligible for a UK visitor visa, you need to show that:

• That you will leave the United Kingdom at the end of your visit

• That you have resources for the onward journey or return 

• In case you don't have the resources, you have to prove that you are funded by someone else for the trip to the UK

• That you have resources to support yourself and dependants while in the UK or funded by someone else;

• You will not live in the UK for extended periods through repeated or consecutive visits, or otherwise make the United Kingdom the main home.

In case you make any false claims and the Home Office finds out, your visa application will get canceled and you will face challenges in your subsequent applications as well. 

Conclusion 

Get acquainted with the UK visa types and their requirements before making an application. 

Complete your visa application with all the necessary details. Verify your travel history, purpose of the visit, and personal details. In addition, it is necessary to prove that the applicants applying for the UK visitor visa have a real intention of visiting the UK for leisure and that they will return to India after their short stay. Usually, visitors can stay in the UK for a maximum of 180 days on a UK visitor visa. Also, hiring a UK immigration solicitor is a great option if you want to navigate the visa process smoothly.