Applying for a UK visa in India

The UK Border Agency processes all visa applications to the United Kingdom. You can find out whether you need a visa and how to apply through the UK Border Agency website.

How to apply?

Find out where and how to apply for a UK visa in India

Where can I get information?

The UK Border Agency's Visa Services works in partnership with a commercial organisation called VFS Global Ltd. You can find out how to apply through the VFS website or UK Border Agency website.

You can make general enquiries about the visa application process by telephoning the VFS visa information helpline on: (022) 67866000 between 0800-1700hrs. Calls are charged at local or STD rates depending on location (indicative call rates should be no more than Rs 10/- for a maximum of 5 minutes). You may also email enquiries to VFS. Please refer to the VFS websitefor details.

Please note that it is not possible to attend the Visa Departments at the British High Commission and Deputy High Commissions, except by appointment. These are usually given for the purpose of visa interviews only.

Do I have to pay?

Website and email information is free of charge. Charges for using the telephone service are set out above.

Where can I get advice?

VFS and its staff cannot give you advice on how to complete your application, or what type of visa you should apply for. If you need help with your application or advice about the UK's Immigration Rules and requirements, you should seek advice from a qualified immigration adviser. In the UK these are immigration advisers regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) or legally qualified professionals regulated by designated professional bodies. Their websites are:

• Law Society of England and Wales
• Law Society of Scotland
• Law Society of Northern Ireland
• Institute of Legal Executives

When should I apply?

Please apply for your visa well in advance of your planned travel. As a general guide, you should allow at least 2 weeks for a non-settlement visa application to be processed if you have travelled to the UK within the last 5 years. For all other non-settlement visa applications, we recommend that you apply at least one month prior to travel. Settlement visa applications may take up to 12 weeks to process.

We have service standards for processing UK visa applications in India. Our standards state that we will process:

• 90 per cent of non-settlement applications within 3 weeks (15 working days) of the application date; and
• 95 per cent of settlement applications within 12 weeks of the application date.
  

You can start the visa application process up to 3 months in advance of your planned travel date. You should bear in mind that each application is subject to an individual assessment and processing times may vary. For more information about processing times, please log onto UK Border Agency website.

How do I submit my application?

You should submit your application and your biometric data at one of the 12 Visa Application Centres (VACs) in India managed by VFS. The VACs are located in Delhi, Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Mumbai North, Mumbai South, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Cochin and Kolkata.

Who decides whether I will get a visa?

Your visa application will be decided by visa officers who work for the UK Border Agency. Immigration agents cannot influence the decision to issue a visa. VFS and its staff do not play any part in the decision making process. They cannot influence nor do they know the outcome of your application.

Customer Service - feedback and complaints

The UK Border Agency's Visa Services aim to offer a fair and professional service to all our customers. We welcome feedback which helps us to focus on where we need to improve.

If you have any comments, or are concerned about the standard of service you have received, please let us know. We investigate all complaints fully and will send you a reply within 20 working days.

If you wish to complain about the service you have received from the UK's Visa Services in India, please address your complaint to the Operations Manager and send your e-mail to the following depending on your area of application:

• Northern India, Eastern India and Nepal:visqry.newdelhi@fco.gov.uk
• Southern India, Sri Lanka:chennai.visaenquiry@fco.gov.uk
• Western India: mumbai.visaenquiries@fco.gov.uk

Alternatively, you may submit your complaint in writing to one of the following addresses:

• UK Border Agency Chennai, British Deputy High Commission, 20 Anderson Road, Chennai 600 006
• UK Border Agency New Delhi, British High Commission, Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110 021
• UK Border Agency Mumbai, British Deputy High Commission, Naman Chambers, C32 G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East Mumbai 51

Providing information on immigration abuse

If you have information that someone has abused the UK’s immigration system, or intends to do so, or helped someone else to do this, please contact the UK Border Agency at the email addresses below. Please provide as much information as possible, including details of the individual concerned and their address. We will treat the information you provide in confidence. We may need to contact you if we require further details. Whilst we will not respond routinely, we guarantee that the information that you provide will be reviewed in all cases.

Chennai: raumaa@fco.gov.uk

New Delhi: raudel@fco.gov.uk

Mumbai: ralon.mumbai@fco.gsi.gov.uk