United Kingdom visa requirements for Indian citizens
Indian citizens need a visa for the United Kingdom and must apply for it before the trip at a consulate or embassy.
- Consular fee
- 135 GBP
- Minimum passport validity
- Whole stay
Last verified: 9 September 2026
How this visa is processed
VFS Global: UK visa application centres in more than a dozen Indian cities
Indian nationals need a Standard Visitor visa for the UK; there is no waiver and an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) does not apply: it is only for visa-free nationalities. The application is made and paid for online at gov.uk and biometrics are taken at a VFS Global centre: India is one of the highest-volume UK visa markets, with centres in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Cochin, Goa, Jaipur, Jalandhar and Pune, among others. The fee for a visa of up to six months is GBP 135, plus the VFS service charge. A standard decision usually takes about three weeks from the appointment; paid priority (about GBP 500 extra, around 5 working days) and super-priority (about GBP 1,000, next working day) services are available.
Official application site →Application details verified on 9 September 2026. Sources: gov.uk (Standard Visitor visa: online application and payment, biometrics at an application centre, the ETA does not apply to visa-national nationalities, priority and super-priority services) and vfsglobal.com (UK centre network in India). Checked 9 September 2026; the GBP 135 fee, checked on gov.uk on 27 September 2026.
Verified practical details
You'll need to apply for a visa at a consulate or embassy before travelling. Here are the practical details we've verified:
Fee
135 GBP
Fee for the Standard Visitor visa of up to six months. Long-term visas, with stays of up to six months per visit, cost GBP 506 (2 years), 903 (5 years) and 1,128 (10 years). The application centre's service charge is added to the fee.
Required documents
- A passport or travel document valid for the whole of your intended stay. Unlike other destinations, the UK does not require extra months of validity beyond the trip
- Evidence that you will leave the UK at the end of your visit
- Evidence that you can support yourself and any dependants for the duration of the trip without recourse to public funds
- Evidence that you can pay for your return or onward journey
- Where someone else is paying for the trip, documentation showing who is covering the costs
Health insurance
Not mandatory for this destination.
When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓Transit rules
The UK draws a line between two kinds of transit. If you are only changing planes and will not pass through border control, the relevant permission is the Direct Airside Transit visa (DATV), and you stay in the transit area without entering the country. If you do pass through border control but leave the UK within 48 hours, the relevant permission is the Visitor in Transit visa. Staying longer than 48 hours rules both of them out: you then need a Standard Visitor visa. Whether you need a transit visa at all depends on your nationality.
More United Kingdom rules
They don't depend on your passport, so they are on the United Kingdom page:
Official portal: https://www.gov.uk/eta. Destination data verified on 10 August 2026. Sources: gov.uk/eta (20 GBP fee, validity, multiple entries and decision time); gov.uk/government/news/uk-enforces-digital-permission-to-travel (ETA mandatory since 25 February 2026 and automated decisions within minutes); homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk (April 2026 factsheet); gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal-use (alcohol and tobacco allowances); gov.uk/bringing-cash-into-uk (cash declaration) (checked 29 September 2026).
Travel insurance for the United Kingdom
It isn't listed as mandatory for this entry, but without insurance, medical care during the trip can get expensive.
See IATI's international site →IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?
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Things to see and do in the United Kingdom
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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This pair in context
In the other direction, citizens of the United Kingdom need an electronic visa to enter India. See the United Kingdom → India page.
Of the 9 passports from Southern Asia that VisaRadar tracks, for travel to the United Kingdom 1 need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival and 8 need a visa. Same result as India: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Iran, Nepal and Pakistan.
With a passport from India, in the rest of Northern Europe you need a visa for Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden.
A passport from India ranks 151 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 52 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.
Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indian citizens need a visa for the United Kingdom?
Yes. You must apply for the visa in advance at the relevant consulate or embassy.
What minimum passport validity is required?
A passport or travel document valid for the whole of your intended stay. Unlike other destinations, the UK does not require extra months of validity beyond the trip
What currency is used in the United Kingdom?
British Pound (GBP).
Can I travel to the UK with an ETA instead of a visa?
No. The ETA is only for visa-free nationalities. Indians need the Standard Visitor visa, with biometrics at a VFS Global centre.
Where are biometrics taken in India?
At a VFS Global centre. There are centres in more than a dozen cities (New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and others).
What do Indian passport holders need for the countries near the United Kingdom?
With a passport from India, in the rest of Northern Europe you need a visa for Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden.
Related pages
See United Kingdom requirements for other passports →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.