UK Tourist Visa

Every year, many people wish to visit the UK for tourism and cultural activities, business, or education. Turkish citizens wishing to travel to the UK for tourism purposes must obtain a visa. However, some challenges may arise during the visa process. You may encounter difficulties both at the Consulate and in the document collection process. Therefore, if you want to go to the UK, you need to obtain a visa. The type of passport held by Turkish citizens also plays an important role in the visa application process. Individuals with ordinary (red), service (grey), and special (green) passports must apply for a visa to travel. Since there can be some difficulties in obtaining a UK visa, we have detailed the information you will need during the visa application process in this article. UK tourist visa frequently asked questions can be accessed from the subheadings listed below.

UK Tourist Visa Application

This is a type of visa applied for by individuals wishing to travel to the UK for tourism purposes. Additionally, the UK tourist visa application can also be made for short-term travel for medical, professional, cultural, or sightseeing reasons. This type of visa includes the UK general visitor visa, tourist visa, family visit visa, business visa (including academics, doctors, and dentists), sports visitor visa, artist visitor visa, and special medical treatment visa.

Individuals applying for a UK tourist visa who are Turkish citizens with an Ordinary passport, Service passport, or Special passport must apply for a general visitor visa. Those holding a diplomatic passport are exempt from the UK visa for up to 90 days within 180 days. With a UK tourist visa, one can stay in the UK for up to 6 months. However, this can be extended to 11 months for medical reasons and up to 12 months for scientific reasons.

Individuals applying for a tourist visa must submit their application no more than 3 months before their intended travel date. To obtain a UK tourist visa, you must fill out the online application form on the website completely and accurately. All documents must be filled out correctly, and the fee must be paid before the application. After that, you can apply to the authorized application centers for the UK visa.

UK Tourist Visa Fees

Fees vary depending on the type and duration of the visa. The UK consulate offers standard UK visa application options for 6-month, 2-year, 5-year, and 10-year visa applications. The fees for the 2024 UK tourist visa are as follows:

• 6-month tourist visa fee is $133
• 2-year tourist visa fee is $499
• 5-year tourist visa fee is $899

Required Documents for UK Tourist Visa

There are certain documents you need to collect to complete your visa application process. These documents must be filled out completely and accurately. Below is the list of required documents for a UK tourist visa:

• Passport (must be valid for at least 6 months and a maximum of 10 years after the return date and have at least 2 blank pages.)
• If available, the original passport is required.
• UK visa application form (must be filled out completely and signed by the applicant.)
• 2 biometric photos (must be taken within the last 3 months and sized 3.5*4.5 with a white background.)
• Copy of identity card.
• Population registration sample.
• Travel health insurance.
• Visa request letter (if it needs to be written in English, the purpose of travel must be stated in the letter.)
• If available, a copy of the Schengen visa obtained in the last 3 years.
• Bank account statement (must show active transactions for the last 3 months. It can be in TL, EUR, USD, or GBP.)
• SGK employment entry document is required. (for insured employees)
• Last 3 months' salary slips are required. (for insured employees)
• Job certificate or, if available, profession registration is required. (Documents written on company letterhead must be wet-signed and stamped.)
• Current workplace activity certificate or Trade registry record is required. (for employers)
• Accommodation and flight information is required. (round-trip flight ticket reservations and hotel reservations)
• Property deeds, rental agreements, vehicle registration, and credit card statements are required.
• English military status document is required.
• If available, an invitation letter from the municipality is required.
• Visa sponsorship letter is required. (for those with insufficient financial means)

UK Visa Appointment

The UK visa appointment process you will undertake for your transactions is not done directly through the consulates but through intermediary firms such as TLS Contact designated by the consulate. You need to make an appointment from these centers. You can obtain an appointment by filling out the application form online and depositing the specified fee. Intermediary firms transmit the documents required for your travel to the consulate, which is the sole authority to evaluate your visa application.

How Many Days Does the UK Tourist Visa Take to Process?

The processing time for the visa varies depending on certain conditions. The answer to the question of how many days it takes to get a UK tourist visa is approximately 15 business days. However, due to the UK Consulate's workload, official holidays, or additional documents requested, this can extend up to 21 business days. However, the processing time for a settlement visa can reach 60 days. The processing time for an express visa can be reduced to 3-4 days. Considering that there may be some disruptions during the travel process, it is advisable to start the application process 3 months before the travel date.