You may need a visa to come to the UK to study, work, visit or join family. There are different visas depending on: where you come from why you want to come to the UK how long you want to stay for your personal circumstances and skills You may be able to apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) instead of a visa. This depends on your nationality and your reason for coming to the UK, for example if you’re visiting or transiting through a UK airport. You do not need to apply for a visa if you’re an Irish citizen. What you need to do Check if you need a visa. The check if you need a visa tool will tell you what your options are. Prepare any evidence and documents you need for your application. Apply online. As part of the application process, you’ll be asked to provide any evidence and documents required and pay the fee. Provide biometrics (fingerprints and photograph). Get your decision. It usually takes between 3 and 12 weeks to get a decision on your application, so you’ll need to apply with enough time before you travel. When to apply The earliest you can apply for a visa is usually: 3 months before your planned travel date for visit visas 3 months before your employment start date for most work visas 6 months before your course start date for Student and Child Student visas You can check how long it will take to get a decision online. Preparing your evidence When applying for a visa, you’ll need to: usually have a valid passport or travel document provide supporting evidence as part of your application provide certified translations of any documents that are not in English or Welsh You may also need to provide additional evidence depending on the visa and your circumstances - for example, a tuberculosis (TB) test result or evidence of your English language ability.

Paying fees and proving your identity

You’ll need to pay the fee as part of your online application. How much you pay depends on which visa you apply for. If you already know what visa you’re applying for, you can check how much your application will cost . If you have dependents who want to come to the UK with you, each person will need to apply and pay separately. Additional costs You may be able to pay for a faster decision on your visa application . If your visa is for more than 6 months, you may also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of your application. Paying the IHS gives you access to healthcare through the NHS (National Health Service). Providing your documents and biometrics You’ll be told exactly what documents and supporting evidence you need to provide as part of the application process. You’ll also need to provide your biometric information (fingerprints and photograph), usually by going to a visa application centre run by an external company. You’ll find out when you start the application if you can use the UK Immigration: ID Check app instead. If you need to go to a visa application centre You’ll be able to book an appointment to provide your biometric information (fingerprints and photograph) at a visa application centre as part of your application. Most visa application centres offer free appointments within 5 working days. In some locations you’ll need to pay £76.50 for a standard appointment. You can choose to travel to a different visa application centre with free appointments, but you’ll need to pay your own travel costs. You must book and attend an appointment within 240 days of submitting your application. If you do not, you’ll need to start a new application. You can also choose to pay for optional services - for example, getting your documents scanned for you instead of doing this yourself. Paying for optional services does not mean your application is more likely to be successful. If you’re applying for someone else The person you are applying for will need to attend an appointment at a visa application centre to provide their biometric information (fingerprints and photograph) and documents. Children under 16 Children under 16 must go to the appointment with an adult who is over 18. Children under 5 must go to the appointment to have a photograph taken. They do not need to give their fingerprints. If you need to use the UK Immigration: ID Check app Some people can prove their identity using the UK Immigration: ID Check app . You’ll be told if you can use the app when you start your application. In most cases, you will not need to attend an in-person appointment if you use the app to verify your identity.

Applying online and getting a decision

You need to know which visa you’ll be applying for for before starting the application process. You can use the check if you need a visa tool to find out: which visa you’re eligible for about any specific requirements you’ll need to meet where to apply online Check now Applying for someone else You can apply for a visa for someone else by entering their details into the form if they cannot apply for themselves. You must get permission from the person you’re applying for, or written permission from their parent or guardian if they are under 18. Changing or cancelling your application If you want to change something in your application after you’ve applied, contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). You can also ask to cancel (withdraw) your application . Your fee will only be refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application. Getting a decision Your application starts being processed when you’ve completed all of the following: submitted your application provided your biometrics provided any supporting documents and evidence It usually takes between 3 and 12 weeks to get your decision, depending on the visa you’ve applied for. You can check how long it will take to get a decision online. Settlement applications take up to 6 months and must be approved before you come to the UK. If you’re given permission to settle in the UK, you must travel before your permission ends. The Home Office will contact you if you need to give more information. You’ll get a letter or email telling you the Home Office has made a decision on your application. It will tell you what you need to do next. If you have not received your email, check your spam or junk folder. Accessing your visa If your application is successful, you’ll get an eVisa to prove you can come to the UK. An eVisa is a digital record of your identity and immigration status. You need a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account to get access to your eVisa. You can create a UKVI account if you do not already have one. You can use your UKVI account to view your immigration status online and share it with others, for example employers and universities. Getting a vignette You may also get a sticker in your passport (a vignette) as well as an eVisa. The sticker will be for either 90 days or the full length of your stay. If the visa application centre kept your passport, they’ll either: send it to you with the vignette inside - if you paid for this service when you applied ask you to collect the passport and vignette If you kept your passport, you’ll need to take it to the visa application centre to collect your vignette. If your application is refused You’ll get a letter or an email explaining why your application was refused. Your passport will be returned, if it was kept as part of your application. Your refusal letter will explain if you have the right to either an: administrative review immigration decision appeal

You must not travel to the UK before your visa application is approved. You must also check that your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account and eVisa details are correct before you travel to the UK. If you notice an error, or have problems viewing or accessing your eVisa, you can report an error with your eVisa online . If you notice an error with your vignette (the sticker in your passport), contact UKVI .

How to apply for a visa to come to the UK

Overview

You may need a visa to come to the UK to study, work, visit or join family.

There are different visas depending on:

where you come from
why you want to come to the UK
how long you want to stay for
your personal circumstances and skills

You may be able to apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) instead of a visa. This depends on your nationality and your reason for coming to the UK, for example if you’re visiting or transiting through a UK airport.

You do not need to apply for a visa if you’re an Irish citizen.

What you need to do

Check if you need a visa. The check if you need a visa tool will tell you what your options are.
Prepare any evidence and documents you need for your application.
Apply online. As part of the application process, you’ll be asked to provide any evidence and documents required and pay the fee.
Provide biometrics (fingerprints and photograph).
Get your decision. It usually takes between 3 and 12 weeks to get a decision on your application, so you’ll need to apply with enough time before you travel.

When to apply

The earliest you can apply for a visa is usually:

3 months before your planned travel date for visit visas
3 months before your employment start date for most work visas
6 months before your course start date for Student and Child Student visas

You can check how long it will take to get a decision online.

Preparing your evidence

When applying for a visa, you’ll need to:

usually have a valid passport or travel document
provide supporting evidence as part of your application
provide certified translations of any documents that are not in English or Welsh

You may also need to provide additional evidence depending on the visa and your circumstances - for example, a tuberculosis (TB) test result or evidence of your English language ability.

View a printable version of the whole guide

How to apply for a visa to come to the UK

Overview

What you need to do

When to apply

Preparing your evidence

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How to apply for a visa to come to the UK

Overview

What you need to do

When to apply

Preparing your evidence

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