UK Visa for Tourists in 2025: A Complete Guide

The UK or the United Kingdom comprises England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. To visit any of these four countries, you would need a UK visa or an ETA, except for Irish citizens.

With a UK visa or ETA, you can stay up to 180 days in the UK. The ETA application process is online and quick. Whereas the UK tourist visa process is tedious, long, and requires an in-person appointment for biometrics.

The UK started issuing eVisas for other types of visas, but tourist visas are still issued as visa stickers in the passport.

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UK Visa Policy for Tourists

All travelers to the UK require either a Visitor Visa or an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization), except for Irish citizens. The maximum allowed period of stay for both the UK Visitor Visa or ETA is 180 days.

Currently, 80 nationalities are eligible for the UK ETA. You can apply for the ETA via the mobile app or online by submitting a scan of your passport and a face photo.

About 110 nationals are required to apply for a UK Standard Visitor Visa before traveling to the UK. The application process involves applying online, scheduling an appointment and attending the appointment in person.

Visa required nationals transiting via Heathrow or Manchester airports can take advantage of 24-hour VISA-FREE entry if they hold a valid visa or residence permit from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or EU/Schengen states. The 24-hour entry is at the discretion of the immigration.

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Minimum passport validity required to enter the UK

Your passport must be valid for the entire stay in the UK. It must have at least one blank page for entry stamps.

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UK Visa Exemption (VISA-FREE, No ETA Required)

Who are eligible for visa exemption

Only the following nationalities are visa-exempt.

1. Ireland citizens
2. British overseas territories nationals

Irish citizens and nationals from British overseas territories do not require a visa or ETA to travel to the UK as tourists.

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24-hour VISA-FREE entry at Heathrow and Manchester airports

Regardless of nationality, all travelers are eligible to request a 24-hour VISA-FREE entry at London Heathrow (LHR) or Manchester (MAN) airports if holding any of the following:

• A valid visa from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or any EU/Schengen country (D-Type only)
• A residence permit from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or any EU/Schengen country

Conditions

• Must be in transit to/from the country of visa or residence permit (Example, if holding a Canada visa, you must be in transit to/from Canada only)
• Must hold the boarding pass for the onward flight
• Onward flight must be within 24 hours (on the same day or next day before midnight)
• Granting the 24-hour entry is at the sole discretion of the immigration officer

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UK ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization)

Who requires a UK ETA

The following 89 nationalities require an ETA to travel to the UK as tourists.

1. Andorra
2. Antigua and Barbuda
3. Argentina
4. Aruba
5. Australia
6. Austria
7. Bahamas
8. Bahrain
9. Barbados
10. Belgium
11. Belize
12. Brazil
13. Brunei
14. Bulgaria
15. Canada
16. Chile
17. Costa Rica
18. Croatia
19. Curaçao
20. Cyprus
21. Czech Republic
22. Denmark
23. Estonia
24. Finland
25. France
26. Germany
27. Greece
28. Grenada
29. Guatemala
30. Guyana
31. Hong Kong
32. Hungary
33. Iceland
34. Israel
35. Italy
36. Japan
37. Kiribati
38. Kuwait
39. Latvia
40. Liechtenstein
41. Lithuania
42. Luxembourg
43. Macau
44. Malaysia
45. Maldives
46. Malta
47. Marshall Islands
48. Mauritius
49. Mexico
50. Micronesia
51. Monaco
52. Nauru
53. Netherlands
54. New Zealand
55. Nicaragua
56. Norway
57. Oman
58. Palau
59. Panama
60. Papua New Guinea
61. Paraguay
62. Peru
63. Poland
64. Portugal
65. Qatar
66. Romania
67. Samoa
68. San Marino
69. Saudi Arabia
70. Seychelles
71. Singapore
72. Slovakia
73. Slovenia
74. Solomon Islands
75. South Korea
76. Spain
77. St Kitts and Nevis
78. St Lucia
79. St Maarten
80. St Vincent and The Grenadines
81. Sweden
82. Switzerland
83. Taiwan
84. Tonga
85. Tuvalu
86. United Araba Emirates
87. United States of America
88. Uruguay
89. Vatican City

The above nationalities require a UK Visa (instead of an ETA) if they have a criminal record or have been refused entry into the UK before.

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ETA validity and duration of stay

The UK ETA is valid for 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is earlier. UK ETA is multiple-entry. With an approved ETA, you can stay up to 6 months in the UK as a tourist.

The ETA is linked to the passport that you’ve used while applying. If you change your passport, the ETA becomes invalid.

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Documents required

You need the following documents for UK ETA.

• Passport scan (or original passport if using the mobile app)
• Digital face photo (or selfie if using the mobile app)

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ETA fee

The UK ETA fee is £16 GBP, non-refundable.

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Processing time

The UK ETA processing time is up to 24 hours. But it can take up to 3 working days in some instances.

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How to apply for UK ETA

You must apply for the UK ETA either online on the official UK ETA portal or through the mobile app, which you can download from the Apple App Store or Android Google Play).

If applying online, you cannot save your progress, so you will have to complete the application in one go. If you leave it unattended for 20 minutes, the application will time out. In that case, you will have to start over again.

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UK Standard Visitor Visa (Tourist Visa)

Who require a visitor visa

The following 110 nationalities require a visitor visa (sticker visa) from the embassy to travel to the UK as tourists.

1. Afghanistan
2. Albania
3. Algeria
4. Angola
5. Armenia
6. Azerbaijan
7. Bangladesh
8. Belarus
9. Benin
10. Bhutan
11. Bolivia
12. Bosnia and Herzegovina
13. Botswana
14. Burkina Faso
15. Burundi
16. Cambodia
17. Cameroon
18. Cape Verde
19. Central African Republic
20. Chad
21. China
22. Colombia
23. Comoros
24. Congo, Dem. Rep. of
25. Congo, Rep. of
26. Cote d’Ivoire
27. Cuba
28. Djibouti
29. Dominica
30. Dominican Republic
31. Ecuador
32. Egypt
33. El Salvador
34. Equatorial Guinea
35. Eritrea
36. Eswatini
37. Ethiopia
38. Fiji
39. Gabon
40. Gambia
41. Georgia
42. Ghana
43. Guinea
44. Guinea-Bissau
45. Haiti
46. Honduras
47. India
48. Indonesia
49. Iran
50. Iraq
51. Jamaica
52. Jordan
53. Kazakhstan
54. Kenya
55. Kosovo
56. Kyrgyzstan
57. Laos
58. Lebanon
59. Lesotho
60. Liberia
61. Libya
62. Madagascar
63. Malawi
64. Mali
65. Mauritania
66. Moldova
67. Mongolia
68. Montenegro
69. Morocco
70. Mozambique
71. Myanmar
72. Namibia
73. Nepal
74. Niger
75. Nigeria
76. North Korea
77. North Macedonia
78. Pakistan
79. Philippines
80. Russia
81. Rwanda
82. Senegal
83. Serbia
84. Sierra Leone
85. Somalia
86. South Africa
87. South Sudan
88. Sri Lanka
89. Sudan
90. Suriname
91. Syria
92. São Tomé and Principe
93. Tajikistan
94. Timor Leste
95. Tanzania
96. Thailand
97. Togo
98. Trinidad and Tobago
99. Tunisia
100. Turkey
101. Turkmenistan
102. Uganda
103. Ukraine
104. Uzbekistan
105. Vanuatu
106. Venezuela
107. Vietnam
108. Yemen
109. Zambia
110. Zimbabwe

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Validity of UK tourist visa

UK tourist visas are valid for 6 months from the date of visa issue. There have been instances where visas were issued with validity starting from the date of travel mentioned in the visa application. 

Long-term validity UK visas, such as 2, 5 or 10 year visas, are also issued for certain frequent travelers who justify their purpose

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When to apply for UK visa

You can apply for a UK visa up to 3 months in advance.

Example: If you plan to visit the UK on April 15, you can apply for your UK visa on or after January 16.

Also, keep in mind that you must apply for your UK visa at least 3 weeks prior to your travel, otherwise, you may not receive your visa on time. There are no refunds if you receive your visa after your travel date. 

IMPORTANT: The UK visa process can take up to 3 weeks and even longer in some cases. I strongly recommend applying for your UK visa at least 2 months in advance.

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How long can you stay in the UK?

The UK tourist visa allows you to stay up to 180 days in the UK. But if you stay that long continuously in the UK on a tourist visa, you will have serious trouble getting another UK visa in the future or entering the UK next time.

Here is my advice. Stick to the days you have mentioned in your UK visa application. A few days more or less is fine. But staying months on your UK tourist visa will pretty much look like you “live in the UK” rather than “vacation/holiday”. 

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Application procedure

The UK visa application is online. You must fill out the application, pay the fee and submit it on the UKVI website.

Below are the steps you will go through for your UK tourist visa application.

• Go to the UK Visas and Immigration website
• Select your preferred language, type of visa, your country, nearest visa application center, etc
• Create a login using email and password
• Complete the application form
• Sign the declaration
• Pay visa fee
• Submit the application
• Download and print the submitted visa application form
• Make an appointment at your nearest UK visa application center
• Attend the appointment at your nearest UK visa application center
• Submit your passport, visa application and supporting documents at the visa application center
• If applying from the US, Australia or New Zealand, mail your passport, visa application and biometrics receipt to your nearest visa application center
• Pickup/receive the passport when the visa decision is made

Below is some of the information you will provide in the application form

• Your travel dates to the UK
• Your hotel address and telephone number in the UK
• Your total estimated cost for the trip
• Your present home address and how many years you’ve lived there
• Your parents’ names and their dates of birth
• Your annual income
• Your travel history for the past 10 years
• Your employer details including the address and telephone number

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Documents required

The following are the documents required for the UK visitor visa application. 

• Completed online visa application form with GWF number
• A passport-size photo (optional)
• If employed:
  • An employment letter on company letterhead indicating your length of employment, salary, role, etc.
  • A leave approval letter indicating your leave from work and the day you must report back to work
  • Payslips for the last 6 months
• If self-employed:
  • A business registration document indicating your business name, date of business, etc.
  • Business bank statements for the last 6 months
  • Invoices or payment slips for the deposits
• If student:
  • A letter from the school/university on the letterhead indicating your enrollment, leave of absence, etc.
  • Receipt of any payments made for the future semesters
• Bank statements for the last 6 months
• Cover letter stating your purpose of travel and itinerary
• Rental contract or property ownership documents

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Do you need flight tickets and hotel bookings for the UK visa application?

UKVI has stopped asking for flight tickets and hotel bookings for UK visa applications. But some nationalities are still being asked to submit flight tickets and hotel bookings.

When you complete your online UK visa application, you will see a checklist of documents to be uploaded. Check if you are asked to submit flight tickets and hotel bookings.

Even if you are asked to submit your flight tickets and hotel bookings, you should not book any flights/hotel until your UK visa is approved.

For flights, print a flight quote from British Airways or Qatar Airways, which can be used as a flight itinerary for your UK visa application. Visa ticket booking agencies such as DummyTicket offer flight itineraries for the UK visa for $24, valid for 14 days.

For the hotel, book a refundable or pay-at-check-in hotel on booking.com or Expedia. Cancel the booking after your visa is approved.

For more options, check out my detailed flight itinerary and hotel reservation articles.

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Photo requirements

A passport-size photo is only required if you are exempt from biometrics. All tourist visa applicants MUST give their biometrics. Your fingerprints and digital photos are taken during your biometrics appointment.

Since all tourist visa applicants MUST give their biometrics, a passport-size photo is not required. But I suggest bringing one with you on the day of your biometrics appointment, just in case.

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Visa application fee

The UK tourist visa application fee is £127 GBP. You will pay this fee in your local currency. Due to exchange rates, you may end up paying about £2 – £5 GBP more.

You can use the UK Home Office visa fee wizard to find out the exact visa fee that you would need to pay in your local currency. 

If you are applying for a long-term UK tourist visa, below is the visa fee for 2, 5 and 10-year tourist visas. 

• 6 months: £127 GBP
• 2 years: £475 GBP
• 5 years: £848 GBP
• 10 years: £1059 GBP

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Visa appointment

As part of the online application process, you will be prompted to make a visa appointment at your nearest UK Visa Application Center. Visa Application Centers are run by either VFSGlobal or TLSContact in conjunction with UK Visas and Immigration.

On the day of the appointment, you will give your biometrics (fingerprints and photo) and submit your original documents. You must bring all your original documents along with one photocopy of each including your passport.

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Applicants from the USA, Australia (Adelaide and Hobart only) and New Zealand

You must give your biometrics at your nearest Biometric Enrollment Center and later send/post your documents to the nearest UK Visa Application Center.

During your online UK visa application, you will be prompted to make a biometrics appointment at your nearest Biometric enrollment center.

• Biometric enrollment centers in the USA are run by the US Homeland Security.
• Biometric enrollment centers in Australia are run by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.
• Biometric enrollment centers in New Zealand are run by Immigration New Zealand.

The biometrics appointment takes about 10-15 minutes. You will give your fingerprints and photo. You will receive an acknowledgment stamp on the biometric appointment confirmation.

You must then mail your original passport, visa application, biometric confirmation with the stamp, supporting documents and return postage to the UK Visa Application Center you have selected during your online visa application.

You will be notified via email when the UK Visa Application Center receives your documents.

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Visa processing time

The UK tourist visa processing takes up to 3 weeks. The processing time starts when you attend your appointment at the Visa Application Center (VAC) and ends when a decision is made on your application.

You would need to account for additional days if you can’t get the appointment immediately and any delay in picking up your passport or the courier service.

The processing can take over 2 months if you UKVI determines that your visa application is “not straightforward”.

UKVI considers a visa application “not straightforward” if additional information is required to process the visa. Additional information can be verifying information, a background check or requesting additional documents. UKVI usually notifies you in such cases and requests any additional documentation necessary.

Keeping such incidents in mind, ALWAYS apply for your UK visa at least 2 months prior to your travel.

Here is my recommendation on when to apply:

• Earliest to apply: 3 months before your trip
• Lastest to apply: At least 2 months before your trip

If you have to travel sooner, you should purchase the “Priority Visa Service” while applying online. Or at least before you courier/submit your documents. This way your visa application will be processed within 5 working days.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: When I applied for my UK visa, the visa processing time was about 2 weeks. I had a planned trip to Canada before my trip to the UK. My trip to Canada was coming up in 4 weeks, so I thought I had enough time to apply for my UK visa. However, after I submitted my passport, the email confirmation said the visa process would take up to 4 weeks. I panicked. I went ahead and paid for the priority visa service. I panicked again. Then I emailed a formal visa withdrawal request, so I could at least get my passport back and make my trip to Canada. However, my visa was processed within 2 days of paying the priority visa service fee. Please do not make the same mistake I did. Apply for your UK visa at least 2 months prior to your travel.

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Visa application status tracking

Online visa application tracking is NOT AVAILABLE on the UK Visas and Immigration website. To track your UK visa application status, you must use UK Visas and Immigration’s email or phone option, which, unfortunately, is NOT FREE.

UKVI charges for all phone and email inquiries. 

Below are UK Visa and Immigration phone, email details and charges.

You must give out your credit card information for billing when you start the phone inquiry. For email, you must fill out the payment form and then you can submit your email inquiry.

PERSONAL OPINION: Email inquiries generally receive a standard response saying that your application is “in process”. Phone inquiries are slightly better and cheaper.

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Priority visa service

If you need to travel to the UK urgently, you can opt for the “Priority Visa Service”.  This service is expensive and may not be available in all countries. If available, you will see the option in your online UK visa application. 

• Priority visa service fee: £500 GBP
• Visa processing time: Guaranteed decision in 5 working days

Priority visa service must be purchased during your online visa application submission. This will ensure your visa is processed within 5 days.

This 5-day processing time is calculated from the day of your appointment to the day a decision is made on your application. You would still need to account for additional days for picking up your passport or courier services. If UKVI determines that they need additional information or documentation, your visa processing can take more than 5 days.

Purchasing this service after you have submitted/mailed your documents will take much longer than 5 working days. You must first pay the fee on the Visa Application Center (VAC) website and then email the receipt to the Visa Application Center where you have submitted/sent your documents. It can take more than a day for the VAC staff to locate your packet and push it into the priority queue

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: I purchased my priority service after I had mailed my documents. My visa application was approved within two days of buying the priority visa service.

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Super priority visa service

If you need to travel to the UK immediately, you can opt for the “Super Priority Visa Service”. This service comes with a hefty price tag, so purchase this service only in super urgent, emergency cases. 

• Super priority visa service fee: £1,000 GBP
• Visa processing time: Guaranteed decision by the end of the next working day after your appointment (or) in 2 working days if your appointment is on a weekend or holiday.

This processing time is calculated from the day of your appointment till the time a decision is made. It can take longer if UKVI requires additional information or needs to conduct a background check. You would also need to account for additional time for picking up your passport or courier services.

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Cancel your UK visa application

If you haven’t given your biometrics at the Visa Application Center yet, you can cancel your UK visa application and get a full refund of your visa fee. Refunds are processed within 4 weeks (28 days). Refunds are sent to the same credit card or bank account you have used to pay the fee.

The procedure to cancel your UK visa application and receive a refund depends on what stage your application is in.

Application not submitted and fee not paid: If you haven’t paid your fee and haven’t submitted your application, there is a “Delete Application” option that will delete your current visa application.

Application not submitted but fee already paid: If you have already paid your fee and have not yet submitted your application, you can still delete your application, but you may have to send a formal refund request in writing to the visa application center.

Application submitted, fee paid, but haven’t given your biometrics: If you haven’t given your biometrics at the Visa Application Center, you can cancel your application and request a refund. The refunds take 4 weeks. 

Application submitted, fee paid, biometrics given, and documents/passport already submitted: If you have already given your biometrics and submitted your documents/passport, you CANNOT cancel your visa application anymore. You can only WITHDRAW your visa application. You must email the visa application center a formal withdrawal request. Upon receipt of the withdrawal request, the visa application center will return/mail your passport back. Any visa fee and priority service fee paid are not refundable. 

IMPORTANT: Even though UKVI says the refunds are processed in 4 weeks, it usually takes 8 weeks or even longer. There have been instances where applicants waited several weeks and some even gave up on their refunds. However, I have seen applicants having success in getting their refunds by reminding UKVI with phone calls or emails. It costs about £2.74 GBP to email them, but it helps in getting your refund eventually. 

Refund of any priority service fee

Your cancellation request only includes a refund of your visa fee and any priority service that you have paid at the time of your visa application submission.

If you have paid any priority service fee separately after your online application submission, you must SPECIFICALLY ask for the refund of your priority service fee. Otherwise, your refund will not include the priority service fee that you have paid separately.

If you paid your priority service fee directly at the Visa Application Center, then you must request a refund from them directly.

If you’ve paid your priority service fee at VFS Global, then you can go into your VFS Global account, select “Services” and then select “Cancel services” to cancel your priority service and get a refund.

If you’ve paid your priority service fee at TLS Contact, then you will have to email a formal request to refund your priority service fee. The email to request a refund is ukvi.visa.pvspv.customerrefundrequests@homeoffice.gov.uk.

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Withdraw your UK visa application

The UK visa application center keeps the passport for the entirety of the visa process, which could be 3 weeks or more. There may be emergencies where you need to have your passport with you. The only way to request your passport back is by formally withdrawing your visa application. 

If you withdraw your application, the visa fee and any priority service fee you have paid are NOT refundable.

To withdraw a visa application, you must submit a withdrawal request along with the reason for the withdrawal to the visa application center via email. It might take up to 72 hours for the embassy/consulate to locate your packet and send it back to you.

You must first call/email the UK Visas and Immigration, mentioning your intention to withdraw your application. They will guide you through the process of withdrawing your application.

Usually, the UK visa application withdrawal request should be a signed document with personal information, including the GWF number. This document must be printed and signed. It must be scanned and emailed to the visa application center. Below is a sample withdrawal request letter.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I hereby request to withdraw my UK visa application. I understand that the visa fee is non-refundable. I also understand that my package may not be shipped for up to 72 hours.

Full Name of the Applicant: <name>
GWF Number: <GWF number>
Date of Birth: <date of birth>
Nationality: <Nationality>
Country of Residence: <Country of residence>
Passport number: <Passport number>
Type of Visa Applied: General Visit (up to 6 months)
Biometric taken date:  <biometric date>
Visa application centre’s address:  <address of the visa application center where you have submitted your documents>
Contact number of the applicant: <Your phone number>

Priority Service Paid: <YES/NO>
Priority Service Paid On: <Priority service purchased date>

Reason for Withdrawal: Emergency international travel has been scheduled. I need to have my passport in order to travel. Please return my passport as soon as possible. Thank you!

<Your signature here>
Signed: <Your full name>
Date: <date>

IMPORTANT: Cancellation or withdrawal is NOT a refusal. It WILL NOT affect your future UK visa applications. You don’t need to mention it in your future UK visa applications either.

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UK visa approval

When your UK visa is approved, you will be notified via email to collect your passport from the Visa Application Center or receive it via courier service. This notification will not indicate whether your application is approved or refused.

When you collect or receive your passport, you will see the UK Visitor Visa sticker (also called visa vignette) in your passport. Make sure all the details on the visa sticker are correct. If you see any discrepancy, you must contact the Visa Application Center or UKVI immediately.

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UK visa refusal

When your UK visa is refused, you will receive an email asking you to collect your passport from the Visa Application Center or receive it via courier service. Just like the approval, this email will not indicate whether your application is approved or refused.

When you collect or receive your passport, you will also receive a refusal letter. This refusal letter contains the reasons for your UK visa refusal.

When your UK visa is refused, you challenge your UK visa refusal in two ways: (1) Re-apply for a fresh visa or (2) file a Pre-Action Protocol (PAP).

If you decide to reapply, first make sure to understand the reasons for your visa refusal. If the reason is due to missing information, proof of funds or documentation, make sure to fix these in your re-application.

Write a detailed cover letter explaining the reasons for your previous visa refusal, missing information/documentation and any additional information/documentation that you have provided in the new application. This will help the ECOs cut to the chase and focus on the new information/documentation.

PAP is a preliminary step in the judicial review process. It’s a simple document that you will fill out and email it to UKVI. If your PAP is successful, your UK visa will be reevaluated and approved. If your PAP is not successful, you have the option to hire a UK-based lawyer and continue with the judicial review process. Or, you can simply reapply for your UK visa.

There is no “appeal” for the UK visa. Re-application or PAP are your only two options.

If you do not know the reason for your visa refusal, give at least 6 months before you apply for the visa again. 

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Benefits of holding a UK visa

UK visa not only lets you travel to the UK, but also opens doors to many countries. You can travel to many countries VISA-FREE with your valid UK Visitor Visa. Refer this guide on VISA-FREE countries for UK visa for the full list of countries, eligibility and duration of stay.

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Entering and Leaving the UK

Entering the UK by air

At immigration, the officers may ask you questions about your trip, how long you plan to stay, your next destination, etc. You may be asked to show your return/onward ticket and your hotel booking. If you are traveling on a one-way ticket, you can use BestOnwardTicket to get proof of your onward ticket. 

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: The immigration officer at Heathrow Airport asked me to show my return/onward ticket. I had a print of my onward ticket, so quickly took it out and gave it to the immigration officer.

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Leaving the UK by air

The UK doesn’t have manned exit passport control. Your exit will be reported by the airlines to the relevant authorities. You will just check-in for your flight and leave the country. If you are flying out of Heathrow Airport, make sure to arrive early. The airport is huge and you may have to take a bus from the gate to the flight.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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