Processing times in India

Customers are advised to apply for their visas well in advance of their planned travel.

As a general guide, customers should allow at least 1 week for non-settlement visa applications to be processed if they have travelled to the UK within the last 5 years. For all other non-settlement visa applications, we recommend that customers apply at least one month prior to travel. Settlement visa applications may take up to 12 weeks to process.

Current turnaround times for each visa application centre may be accessed via the Guide to Processing Times

When to submit your application

You can start the visa application process up to 3 months in advance of your planned travel date. The UK Border Agency advises you to start the visa application process at least 5-10 weeks prior to your planned travel date. This should allow you enough time to complete your application form, prepare your supporting documents, submit your biometrics and for the UK Border Agency to process your visa application. Visa applicants should bear in mind that each application is subject to an individual assessment and processing times may vary.

Queries about processing times

If your application has exceeded the processing times given on this website and those published in our Customer Service Standards please email VFS free of charge - details can be found on the 'Contact Us' page of this website.

Guide to processing times

This UK Border Agency guide gives visa applicants information on how long their applications may take based on recent visa processing performance. The guide cannot be used as a guarantee of individual visa application processing times. Visa applicants should bear in mind that each application is subject to an individual assessment and processing times may vary. The Guide to Processing Times can be found on the UK Border Agency Visa Services website.