UK Tourist Visa in UAE
and How to Obtain It
The United Kingdom offers a plethora of wondrous locations to visit as a tourist and photo opportunities almost like no other country in Europe. London alone provides ample chance to spend a long vacation without being bored for a single minute. And apart from it, there are dozens if not hundreds of other places to see, each more majestic than the last. However, to get all that enormous potential as a tourist, UAE citizens must obtain a UK visa first.
And the process of submitting your documents for it as well as waiting for approval can be seen as a daunting task indeed.
Luckily, we have prepared this guide for you to follow, which is going to help you to eliminate any and all uncertainty about the process and thus make it far more streamlined.
General UK visa information
To get a visa to the UK as a UAE resident, you will need to fill in a form on the visa application site and later arrive there in person for an appointment.
There are various visa types for you to choose from, even though in this guide we will focus on the tourist one. Just for your information, the following types exist:
- Tourist visas;
- Work visas;
- Family visas;
- Student visas;
- Medical visas etc.
Choosing your tourist visa option
Moreover, as a tourist, you have a few options available at your disposal.
The first of them is no visa requirement at all. This only applies to nationals of certain countries such as Canada, who can enter the UK for up to 6 months without a visa. So if you are a UAE resident who has a Canadian passport, this option will suit you the best.
Alternatively, if you are a UAE citizen, you have an option to get an Electronic Visa Waiver as opposed to a regular visitor visa but only if your stay is not going to exceed six months.
This also applies to such countries as:
- Bahrain
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
And finally, you can opt for a regular-type tourist visa. You may prefer this variant even as a national of one of the aforementioned countries if you wish to have a visa that will grant you the ability to enter the UK for longer than 6 months.
The United Kingdom laws allow people to start applying for visas three months prior to their desired day of entrance.
Our advice is not to wait for too long and do so right at the start of this period, as the process can take some time.
Step 1. Collecting the documents
Like any country on Earth, the UK demands that foreign nationals who enter it present a certain list of documents to prove their identity and other relevant information. For a visitor visa, you will need:
Passport
Must be valid for at least 6 months after your scheduled return from the UK. Also needs to have no fewer than one blank page in it (where your visa will be stamped).
Proof of legal residence
In case you are a citizen of any state other than the UAE, you will have to provide proof that you stay in the UAE legally to apply for a British visa.
Bank statement
To prove your financial status, you will require a bank statement. Alternatively, it may be proof of earnings issued by the company you work for.
Statement to prove your occupation
Whether you are a student or an employee, you will need to show documents proving that.
Hotel reservation
An invitation from the host or contract with a tour operator also will suffice. This is needed to prove you are going to stay in the UK for the exact duration you claimed.
Additional documents
These include the copies of your parents’ passports and your birth certificate (legally translate and attested) if you are under 18 years of age; or the letter of invitation from your employer, friend, or family member if you have a sponsor in the UK.
Step 2. Filling the form
Once you are sure all your papers are ready, it is time to complete the online form.
This is a very important step, as any mistakes at this stage will make you ineligible for the visa, and you will have to start again.
Therefore it is highly advisable that you double- and even triple-check all the information you enter. Don’t hesitate to look at your documents for spelling whenever in doubt.
Step 3. Scheduling the appointment
To complete the process, you will need to attend an appointment at a British visa application centre. There are a few of them spread across the UAE:
- Dubai;
- Abu Dhabi;
- Al Ain;
- Sharja
So you can choose the best variant for you. Be aware that some of them have different working hours, so it is wise to check beforehand.
The appointment can be made on the VFS Global website by choosing the visa application centre that suits you the best.
During the application, you will have your biometrics taken, which include a picture of you as well as your fingerprints. This is all done by digital means, so you don’t have to worry about getting your fingers dirty.
Be sure to bring all of your documents (which we have already listed above) to the appointment. This is where they will be verified. You also need to have on you the application confirmation letter printed out as well as the printout of your application form checklist.
Step 4. Visiting the application centre
Once you are sure all your papers are ready, it is time to When the day of your application arrives, you will need to be present at the centre. We advise you to arrive slightly in advance to avoid all possible hold-ups.
When you go to the visa application centre, keep in mind the following rules:
- You cannot obscure your face by any means.
- Your fingertips must be unscathed so as to not change the pattern of your prints.
- If you are underage, you will need an adult accompanying you.
Step 5. Waiting for your approval
Now the most exhausting part of the process is over and there’s nothing you can do but wait.
As a rule, UK visa applications don’t take more than 3 weeks to process. Additionally, while visiting the centre for your appointment, you can choose to pay an extra fee for the priority visa service, which usually brings the time down to about 5 working days.
Once the decision is made in regards to your visa, you will receive a letter by email or snail mail. It is a good idea to check your spam folder just in case.
Then, if your application is approved, you will need to get your passport stamped with the visa sticker.
Alternatively, if it is declined, you will have an opportunity to make an appeal.
However, to avoid such unpleasantries, it is advisable to choose a visa agency that will help you minimize the probability of refusal.
In conclusion
Getting a tourist visa to the UK can seem like a daunting task, but once you know what to do, it becomes far less of a hindrance.
To assure you get your visa on the first try, you just need to make sure all the information you provide to the centre is truthful and all the documents are up-to-date. Keeping these simple rules in mind, you will be able to succeed and visit the United Kingdom as you’ve always wanted to!
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