Applying for a UK visa from outside the UK follows a fixed sequence: choose the right route, complete the online form, pay the fees, prove your identity and wait for a decision from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). One mistake, such as the wrong route or a missing document, can stall the whole application. This guide explains the steps and what happens after you submit. Check the GOV.UK page for your route for current fees and documents.
Step by step
- Choose your route. Visit, study, work or family each has its own form, rules and fees.
- Complete the online application on GOV.UK, using the exact details in your passport.
- Pay the visa fee and, if it applies to your route, the immigration health charge.
- Prove your identity with the phone app or at a visa application centre (see below).
- Upload or hand in supporting documents, with certified translations where needed.
- Wait for the decision. Do not buy non-refundable travel before you have it.
Family members who apply with you pay their own fees. If you are applying for someone else, such as a child or relative, enter the applicant’s details in the form, not your own.
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Proving your identity
| Method | What it involves |
|---|---|
| UK Immigration: ID Check app | Needs a biometric passport and a compatible smartphone. You scan your passport and take a photo of your face. You can use a friend’s or relative’s phone if yours is not compatible |
| Visa application centre | You attend an appointment to give fingerprints and a photograph, and hand in documents. You usually get your passport back the same day, but you may have to travel to another country if the nearest centre is not local |
Medical steps
If you plan to stay in the UK for more than six months and come from a country on the UK’s list, you may need a tuberculosis (TB) test from an approved clinic. A valid certificate must be included with your application. Check the GOV.UK list for your country and use only approved clinics.
Changing or cancelling an application
- Spotted a mistake or changed circumstances: contact UKVI. Do not simply submit a second application for the same route.
- Withdraw: you can ask to withdraw, but a fee is refunded only if UKVI has not started processing it.
- Switch routes: you can apply on a different basis before a decision, using the correct form for that new application.
Common mistakes
- Picking the wrong route or form.
- Details that do not match your passport.
- Missing documents, such as a required TB certificate.
- Documents without a certified translation.
Our translation guide explains certified translations. If your application is refused, read your options after a UK visa refusal.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to send my passport away?
Not if you can use the ID Check app. If you attend a centre, they usually return your passport the same day.
Can I fix an error after I submit?
Contact UKVI. How they deal with it depends on the type of error and the stage of your case.
Where do I find the current fees?
On the GOV.UK page for your visa route. Fees change, so confirm before you pay.
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