United Kingdom

Who needs a visa for United Kingdom?

Of 198 nationalities, 1 enters United Kingdom with no paperwork at all. The rest: 197 must be approved before they travel.

Government fee
£135
Typical decision
Usually within 3 weeks
Stay permitted
6 months per visit
Apply on the official United Kingdom government site

This is the government's own portal. We are not paid to send you there.

Checked 19 September 2026 — read the fees and rules on gov.uk

What United Kingdom asks for

  • Passport with a blank page for the visa, valid for the whole of your stay
  • Bank statements showing you can cover the trip
  • Evidence of your travel plans and where you will stay
  • Details of your employment, studies or business
  • A letter from anyone paying for or hosting your trip
  • Tuberculosis test certificate, if you are applying from a country where one is required

Worth knowing

  • The UK charges no fee to check your own application status. Sites that charge to reveal a decision are not connected to UKVI.
  • There is no single gov.uk page that tracks a visa application. You are updated by the visa application centre that took your biometrics. Treat any other 'UK visa tracker' with suspicion.
  • Published processing times for applications made outside the UK are at gov.uk/guidance/visa-processing-times-applications-outside-the-uk.

What do you need?

Who needs what

Visa free 1

Nothing to apply for and nothing to pay before you travel.

eTA (electronic travel authorisation) 85

Not a visa. A short online form for travellers who are already visa-exempt, usually approved automatically in minutes to hours. No appointment, no interview, no documents.

Visa required 112

You must apply and be approved before you travel. Airlines will refuse to board you without it.