How to fill in the UK visitor visa application

The UK Standard Visitor visa application is the online GOV.UK form for people who need a visa to visit the UK for tourism, family, business or a short course. Each traveller fills in their own application before travelling, then gives fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre.

Last checked against the official form: October 19, 2026

Form: UK visitor visa
Edition: Online Standard Visitor visa application on GOV.UK, as of the review date
Issued by: UK Visas and Immigration (Home Office)
Form language: English

Where it is filled in: Online only, on GOV.UK; there is no paper form. After paying, you book an appointment at a visa application centre
Who fills it in: Anyone whose nationality needs a visa to visit the UK, one application per person, children included
When to apply: The earliest is 3 months before you travel. A decision usually comes within 3 weeks of your appointment; check the official page for current times
Cost: £135 for a visa of up to 6 months when this guide was checked; long-term visas cost more. Fees change, so check the official page
How long you can stay: Usually up to 6 months per visit

What this form is

The Standard Visitor visa application collects the details UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) uses to decide whether you are a genuine visitor: why you are coming, that you will leave at the end of your visit, and that you can pay for the trip. You answer it on GOV.UK, one page at a time, and you can save it and finish later.

There is no blank form to print. When you reach the end, the service lets you download your application form and a document checklist; that copy is what you can keep or upload. You can also use this guide to gather your answers first: passport, home address, income and savings, travel dates, accommodation, parents’ details and 10 years of travel history.

The pages follow this order: your account and contact details, personal details, passport and nationality, employment and money, your trip, family and travel companions, UK and world travel history, immigration history, criminal and character questions, then documents, declaration and payment. Questions open or close depending on your answers, and the online service is the final word on what it asks.

Who has to fill it in

You fill it in if:

You need a visa to visit the UK for a holiday, to see family or friends, for business meetings, a short course of up to 6 months or another permitted activity.
You are travelling with family: each person needs their own application, fee and appointment.
You are applying for your partner or child who cannot apply themselves: you may fill it in for them.

Use another route if:

Your nationality does not need a visa for a visit: you may need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) instead.
You have the right of abode in the UK, for example as a British citizen: the application will not be accepted and the fee is not refunded.
You want to work, study for more than 6 months, live in the UK, or marry or register a civil partnership there: those need other visas.

Field-by-field instructions

Account and contact details

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Select your language	The language the questions are shown in. It is the first thing the service asks.	Pick the language you read best. Your answers must still be written in English.
Select a country to provide your biometrics	The country where you will go to a visa application centre to give your fingerprints and photo.	Choose the country where you will attend the appointment, and check on GOV.UK that it has a centre you can reach. The centre may be in another country.
Email address	The email address for your account. The service sends a link to it that you use to sign in again later.	Use an address you check often, and create a password you will remember. If your email changes later, tell UKVI.
Your telephone number / Contacting you by telephone	Your phone numbers and whether UKVI may call you or send a text message about your application.	Give a number you will have during the application. You cannot type “+”, so write 00 before the country code. If you cannot be reached by call or text, you are asked to explain why.

Personal details

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Your name	Your given names and family name.	Write them exactly as your passport shows them. If you have no family name, the service has an option for that.
Any other names	Other names you have been known by, such as an earlier name or a different spelling on official documents.	Answer Yes if you have legally changed your name or used another name on official documents. Do not add nicknames.
Your sex and relationship status	Your sex and your relationship status.	Answer accurately. “Single” means never married or in a civil partnership and not in a relationship; “Unmarried partnership” means in a relationship but not married or in a civil partnership.
Your address / Is this address also your correspondence address?	Where you live now, and whether UKVI should send letters there.	Write your current home address. UKVI may use it to contact you, even after the decision; if your post should go elsewhere, answer No and add that address.
About this property	How long you have lived at your address and whether you own it, rent it or something else.	Choose the time you have lived there and the ownership status. If you live with family and neither own nor rent, choose “Other” and explain in the box.

Passport and nationality

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Your passport	The passport you will use to apply and to travel to the UK.	Copy the number, issuing authority and dates exactly. If the passport shows no issuing authority, give the country that issued it. It must be valid for your whole stay.
Your identity card	Your national identity card, if your country issues one. It is different from a passport.	Answer Yes and enter its details if you have one, or No if your country does not issue them. You do not have to send the card itself.
Your nationality, country and date of birth	The nationality on the passport you are using, and your country and date of birth.	Give the nationality shown on that passport. Your place and date of birth are normally printed in it too.
Your other nationalities	Any other nationality you hold now or have held before.	Answer Yes if you have another nationality and add each one, with any valid passport or ID card for it. A dual British or Irish citizen should not apply for this visa.

Employment and finances

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Your employment status	What you do now: employed, self-employed, student, retired, not working and so on.	Tick every option that fits, for example both self-employed and student. If you work, the service then asks about your job or business.
Your income and savings	The money you earn and save.	Give your income and savings as your bank statements will show them. If family, a loan or a sponsor supports you, choose “other regular additional income” and say how much you receive.
About the cost of your visit	How much you expect the visit to cost in total.	Add up travel, accommodation, food and other living costs for the whole stay. There is no set amount you must have, but your funds should clearly cover it.
About your financial situation	How much you spend each month at home.	Give a realistic monthly average of your regular costs, such as rent, travel, food and work or study costs.
Paying for your visit	Whether someone else pays for part or all of the visit.	If someone does, answer Yes and say who they are, how much they give and why. You can add more than one person.

Your trip

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Your planned travel information	The date you plan to arrive in the UK and the date you plan to leave.	Give realistic dates that fit your purpose. Remember the earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.
Spoken language preference	The language you would like to use if UKVI talks to you, for example in an interview.	Choose the language you speak best. If you are coming for a course taught in English, universities advise choosing English.
Main reason for your visit	The main purpose of your visit, chosen from the permitted activities.	Pick the one that fits best, for example “Tourism (including visiting family and friends)”, business or short-term study. A course or event then opens extra questions about it.
Your activities	A description of what you will do in the UK.	Write a short, specific plan: places, events, people you will see, or the course. Make it match your documents and any letters.
Accommodation in the UK	Where you will stay in the UK.	If you have an address, answer Yes and give the type of place and the dates you will be there. If not, answer No and describe your plans in detail.

Family and travel companions

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
People financially dependent on you	Anyone who relies on you for money, whether or not they travel with you.	List them if you have any. This does not add them to your application; each visitor applies separately.
Your partner’s details	Details of your spouse or partner, when your relationship status asks for them.	Give the details asked, and say whether they live with you and whether they travel with you.
Your parents’ information	Details of your parents, such as their names and dates of birth.	Ask your parents for the details if you do not have them to hand. Use the option for not having a parent’s details only if you truly do not know them, for example because you do not know that parent.
Family who live in the UK	Close family members who live in the UK.	Answer Yes and give each one’s details and relationship to you. Other relatives do not need to be listed.
Travelling as part of an organised group / Travelling with another person	Whether you travel with a tour or study group, or with another person such as a parent or friend.	For a group, most people answer No unless a travel company or school organises the trip. For another person, give their name, nationality and relationship to you, even if they have not applied yet.

Travel and immigration history

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
UK travel history	Your visits to the UK in the last 10 years.	Answer Yes if you have been, give how many times, and give an estimate if you are unsure. The service then asks about up to 3 visits.
Medical treatment in the UK	Whether you have had medical treatment in the UK, including seeing a doctor or going to hospital.	If Yes, say whether you paid, the name of the clinic or hospital and the month and year. Estimate as accurately as you can.
National Insurance number / UK driving licence	A UK National Insurance number or a UK driving licence, if you have one.	You normally only have a National Insurance number if you have worked in the UK, and only a licence issued in the UK by the DVLA counts. Do not enter an insurance policy number or a licence from another country.
Public funds	Whether you have received UK public funds, such as benefits for people on low incomes, housing or child benefit.	Answer truthfully. Visitors are not allowed to claim public funds.
UK visa applications	UK visas you have been issued in the last 10 years.	If Yes, give the details asked. The service also asks whether you have applied for permission to stay in the UK before.
Travel to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, USA, Switzerland or the European Economic Area	Trips to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the USA, Switzerland or the European Economic Area in the last 10 years.	If Yes, give the country, the purpose, the date and how long you stayed for your 2 most recent visits. You do not count the country where you live.
World travel history	Trips to any other country in the last 10 years.	Add one country at a time, then add the next. Give dates and purposes as accurately as you can from your passports.
Immigration history	Whether you have had immigration problems with any country, such as a visa refusal or a refusal of entry.	Answer Yes if any of these happened anywhere, and explain each one. UKVI makes its own checks, and hiding a refusal can be treated as deception.
Breach of UK immigration law	Whether you have ever broken UK immigration law, for example by staying longer than allowed.	Answer truthfully. If Yes, describe each breach on the next screen.

Convictions, character and employment history

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Criminal convictions and other offences	Criminal convictions and other penalties in any country, not only in the UK.	Choose each one that applies, spent or unspent, and give details in the box. If none applies, answer No.
War crimes	Whether you have ever been involved in, or suspected of, war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide.	Read the guidance on the screen, tick the box to confirm you have read it, and answer.
Terrorist activities, organisations and views / Extremist organisations and views	Questions about terrorist activities, organisations and views, and about extremist organisations and views.	Read the guidance on each screen before answering. If you answer Yes, give details.
Person of good character	Whether there is anything else about your character UKVI should know.	Answer each question truthfully. A Yes asks you for more information.
Your employment history	Whether you have worked for certain organisations, such as the armed forces, government, media, security services or the judiciary.	Tick any that apply, internships included, and give the job title, what you did and the dates. Otherwise choose none.

Documents, declaration and payment

On the form	What it means	How to fill it in
Additional information	A free-text box for anything the form did not let you explain.	Use it for anything unusual, such as an earlier refusal or a change of name. You can leave it empty if there is nothing to add.
Check your answers	A summary of all your answers before you move on.	Compare every answer with your passport and documents and correct mistakes now. Later you cannot change them in the form.
Documents	The list of documents you must or may provide, based on your answers.	Tick each box to confirm you have the document. You upload them later on the visa application partner’s website, or bring them to the appointment.
Visitor conditions / Declaration	The conditions of a visitor visa and your declaration that your answers are true.	Read both carefully. Only accept the declaration when you are ready: after it you cannot change your answers.
Visa length options	How long the visa is valid for: up to 6 months, or a long-term visa of 2, 5 or 10 years.	Choose 6 months unless you visit the UK often and want a long-term visa, which costs more. Each visit is still up to 6 months.
Choose a service / Payment	The fee for your visa and any faster service, and the card payment.	Check the fee and pay by card. You are then sent to the partner’s website to upload documents and book your appointment. Download your application form and document checklist and keep them.

Key terms

Term on the form	What it means
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)	UK Visas and Immigration, the part of the Home Office that decides visa applications.
Standard Visitor visa	The visa for visits to the UK for tourism, family, business, short courses and other permitted activities, usually for up to 6 months.
Permitted activities	The things a visitor is allowed to do in the UK, such as holidays, seeing family, business meetings or short study. Working for a UK company is not one of them.
Genuine visitor	The test UKVI applies: you come for a permitted activity, will leave at the end of the visit and can pay for the trip.
Biometric information	Your fingerprints and photo, taken at the visa application centre.
Visa application centre	The office run by UKVI’s partner where you prove your identity, give biometrics and hand in documents. You get your passport back the same day.
Document checklist	The list of documents the service builds from your answers, which you can download at the end.
eVisa	The digital record of your visa. If you are approved, you create a UKVI account and link it to your eVisa.
Electronic travel authorisation (ETA)	A travel permission for visitors whose nationality does not need a visa. It is not a visa.
Long-term Standard Visitor visa	A visitor visa valid for 2, 5 or 10 years that lets you visit many times, up to 6 months each time. If you are under 18, it lasts only until 6 months after you turn 18.
Public funds	UK state benefits and housing help. Visitors cannot claim them.
Certified translation	A full translation of a document not in English or Welsh, with the translator’s confirmation that it is accurate, the date, their name, signature and contact details.

Common mistakes

1
Not declaring an earlier refusal
A visa refusal or refusal of entry in any country must be declared. Hiding one can be treated as deception, leading to refusal and a ban of up to 10 years. Declare it and explain it.
2
Money answers that do not match the bank statements
Income, savings and costs on the form should match your documents. Explain any large deposit and where it came from; statements more than 1 year old carry little weight.
3
A purpose that does not match the documents
The reason and activities you give must match your letters, invitation and plans. A vague or changing purpose raises doubts.
4
A name that differs from the passport
Write your names exactly as in the passport you will travel with, and list any other names you have used officially.
5
Skipping or guessing the travel history
Go through your passports and give every trip asked for in the last 10 years. If you are not sure of the number of UK visits, give an estimate rather than leaving it out.
6
Ticking “no parents’ details” for convenience
That option is only for people who do not know a parent. If you just do not have the details with you, ask your parents first.
7
Buying tickets that cannot be refunded
UKVI advises not to buy travel tickets until the visa is issued, and hotel and flight bookings are weak evidence. If you book, choose something you can cancel for free.
8
Accepting the declaration before checking
After the declaration you cannot change your answers in the form. Use Check your answers and compare everything with your documents first.
9
Sending documents without translations
Every document not in English or Welsh needs a full certified translation, or it may not be considered.

Questions and answers

Is there a PDF UK visitor visa form I can print?

No. In every country except North Korea, you apply online on GOV.UK. At the end you can download a copy of your completed application form and a document checklist.

How early can I apply and how long does it take?

The earliest is 3 months before you travel. A decision usually comes within 3 weeks after you have applied, proved your identity and provided documents. Times can change, so check the official page; faster services may be offered for an extra fee.

How much does a UK visitor visa cost?

When this guide was checked, a Standard Visitor visa for up to 6 months cost £135, and long-term visas of 2, 5 or 10 years cost more. Check the official page for the current fee.

Can I fill in the form in my own language?

You can choose the language the questions are shown in, but your answers must be in English. Documents not in English or Welsh need certified translations.

Does each family member need their own application?

Yes. Each person needs their own application, fee and appointment. You can fill in the application for a partner or child who cannot apply themselves.

What happens after I pay?

You go to the visa application partner’s website to upload documents and book an appointment. There you prove your identity with your passport and give fingerprints and a photo; you get your passport back the same day. If approved, you get an eVisa.

How much money do I need to show?

There is no set amount. You need to show you can pay for travel, accommodation and living costs for the whole visit, yourself or with a sponsor’s help.

Can I change my answers after submitting?

Not in the form. To change something after submitting, contact UKVI. If you cancel, you get a refund only if the application has not been processed yet.

Do I need a visa at all to visit the UK?

It depends on your nationality. Some people need a visa, some need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) instead, and some need neither. Check on GOV.UK before you apply.

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