UK Visa - Type, Process, Document Required

Millions of travellers from across the globe visit the United Kingdom every year. Seaside views, architecture, and glitterati are a few of the many travel attraction attractions that make the UK a visitor-favourite all around the world. Planning a successful trip to the UK, whether for business or pleasure, will require you to make a proper travel itinerary and get all necessary travel documents in place. A UK visa, a valid passport and suitable travel insurance are the most important documents that you must have when visiting the UK. We will cover all different types of UK visas you can get as a visitor, depending on the purpose of your visit as well as the steps to obtain them.  

UK Visa Types

Every Emirati and UAE resident must acquire the right UK visa for a successful trip to the United Kingdom. You can apply for a UK visa based on the nature of your stay in the UK. Take a look at the types of UK visas available: 

UK Standard Visa:

Visitors travelling to the UK for tourism-related purposes or business purposes can get a standard visa. These visas are applicable for short visits ranging up to 6 months and can be acquired for purposes like short study sessions (up to 6 months), medical reasons, business, tourism, etc. 

UK Work Visa:

When an immigrant visits the UK for a job offer like seasonal labour, skilled migrant, regular employee, or corporate employee. You also get a residence permit through your UK work visa. 

UK Investment Visa:

If you are visiting the UK with an intention to invest in the country.

UK Student Visa:

UK student visa is for those individuals who are visiting the UK to pursue studies in the country.

UK Family Reunification Visa:

Reunification visa UK is applicable for traveller whose spouse is a citizen of UK or living in the country with a resident permit.

UK Transit Visa:

A transit visa is applied if you have a flight or layover stay in the UK. You can get this visa when you need to switch to a connection flight at one of the UK airports to get to your destination country. 

Insurance for Different Types of UK Visas

Visiting the UK will require you to get a proper travel insurance plan for you and your travel companions. Schengen travel insurance plans were required for UK visits till 2021. However, now that the United Kingdom is not a part of the Schengen group, you can avail a suitable standard outbound travel insurance plan for your visit. 

Travel Health Insurance for the UK Visa

As mentioned previously, Travel Insurance for the UK visa is mandatory when you are planning a trip to the UK from the UAE. This is primarily to ensure the safety of your financial interests throughout the length of your trip. You would be able to enjoy several useful benefits with a proper UK travel insurance plan. Your travel insurance for UK visa must have the below-given benefits covered:

• Cost of ticket cancellation
• Passport loss
• Misplaced luggage 
• Delayed and missed flights

If you stay in the UK for more than 3 months you will have to apply for a resident permit and also get a better-suitable insurance plan. After the residence permit has been granted, you can also get a UK public health insurance plan instead of the travel insurance plan. 

How to Get Travel Insurance Online for the UK? 

Purchasing your UK travel insurance for UK visa is quite simple. Visit the official website of your preferred insurance provider or visit their nearest branch to purchase the plan. You can also get travel insurance for the UK via Policybazaar.ae, if you wish to complete the whole purchasing process within a few minutes from the comfort of your home. Following are the steps involved -

• Visit our homepage on Policybazaar.ae and open the travel insurance section  
• Open the lead form given in the travel insurance section and fill it out using the required details about your trip 
• Submit the lead form to get suitable quotes
• Choose a plan that suits your need and fill out the application form
• Add the details of your fellow travellers, if any
• Pay the premium amount at the payment gateway and finish the process

UK Visa Eligibility

A few important documents are required to be submitted when applying for a UK visa. Let’s cover the mandatory documents for UK visa applications in detail.  

Generic Documents Required for UK Visa

• UK visa application form - duly filled and signed
• The original passport that is valid for at least 6 more months and has a minimum of 2 blank pages 
• Your confirmed return air tickets 
• Latest coloured photographs with a white background 
• Medical certificate stating you are fit for travelling 
• Bank statements for the last 6 months as proof that you can sustain your stay in the UK
• Proof of accommodation 
• Visa fee receipt
• Detailed itinerary including details of your journey, including tour date

Additional Documents Required to Apply for UK Business Visa 

• Salary and financial statements or the last 3 months that show that you have enough funds in your account to sustain for 28 days consecutively
• Cover letter by the company stating the travel details of the applicant
• Invitation letter from the company that you are visiting in the UK with all your travel and sponsorship details
• Business registration documents if you are self-employed

Additional Documents Required to Apply for UK Student Visa 

• CAS, Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies from your university in the UK
• Parental consent if you are below the age of 18 years
• Consent letter from your sponsor, if applicable
• Documents related to your accommodation and care arrangements

Additional Documents Required to Apply for UK Visa for Children or Minors

• Copy of child’s birth certificate
• Copy of valid passport of parents
• Adoption papers, if applicable

How to Apply for a UK Visa?

You can apply for a UK visa from the official website of the Government of the UK. After you identify the type of UK visa you require, open the application portal for it, fill out the form and submit all the documents. Make sure you double-check your application and attach all the necessary documents properly. Biometric registration will be done after the successful submission of the application. 

You can apply for a UK visa through a host in case you are visiting the UK for-

• Study (The host must be an educational institution) 
• Work (Your employer must be the host) 
• Family Reunification (A family member or spouse citizen of the UK or residing with a valid permit can be the host) 

The host has to submit all the documents and the application form in the visa department or on the official website of the Government of the UK on behalf of the applicant. The rest of the process will be carried out once the visa application has been approved.

UK Visa Fees

How to Check the UK Visa Status?

After successfully submitting the documents and application form, you will receive a confirmation mail on your registered email ID and an SMS confirmation on your registered phone number. A tracking link for your UK visa application will be sent with the confirmation. You can track your visa application status using this link. 

You can also check the status of your UK visa using online methods. Go to the official website of the Government of the UK, open the visa application portal and click on visa status check service. Now enter your visa request reference number as allotted and your last name to know the status of the visa.

Conclusion

Visa application procedures can be lengthy and a bit tiresome at times. However, you can easily get through the rigorous paperwork and documentation as long as you are on point with the steps involved in the application process and have all the right documents. Your insurance plan plays a rather important role as far as your travels are concerned. There are a few things to keep in mind while purchasing travel insurance for a UK visa. Simply make sure that plan offers apt coverage for medical emergencies as well as trip-related benefits. Use this comprehensive guide to ensure that you do not miss out on any essential document for UK visa application and travel insurance purchase. Make the best out of your trip to the UK. 

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