Visitor visa
Indians need a visitor visa — not an ETA
Not on Appendix ETA — Standard Visitor visa
Indian passports are not on Appendix ETA National List. The UK ETA app will not give you a valid authorisation on an Indian passport. For a holiday, family visit or short business trip you apply for a Standard Visitor visa on GOV.UK and usually biometrics at a visa centre. That fee is not £20. Processing is slower than an ETA — often weeks, not minutes — so do not treat this like an American friend’s ETA. If you later obtain British citizenship, you stop using visitor visas and travel on the British passport. OCI is not a UK immigration status. Students and workers use those visa routes, not ETA and not a tourist visa.
Standard Visitor visa on GOV.UK →
Indian travel facts
| Passport | India |
|---|---|
| Roll-out | Not on Appendix ETA — Standard Visitor visa |
| What you need | Standard Visitor visa |
| Stay | Usually up to 6 months as a visitor |
| Work | Not allowed on visit permission |
| Landside transit | Usually a visa or transit visa — check GOV.UK |
Mistakes indians make
- Paying a site that claims to sell Indians a UK ETA. It is the wrong product.
- Booking flights before the visitor visa is granted.
- Using a friend’s US ETA email as if nationality did not matter.
London notes for Indian arrivals
Once you have a visa, Heathrow T2/T3/T4 are typical for Air India and BA. Contactless on TfL works with many Indian international cards; get a backup. Visitor visa holders still cannot work in a shop or kitchen in Southall or elsewhere — the visa type matters more than the neighbourhood.
FAQs
- Can Indians apply in the UK ETA app?
- Not as a valid route. Indian nationals need a visa. Confirm on GOV.UK.
- How long does a visitor visa take?
- Check current GOV.UK processing times. It is not the minutes-scale ETA decision.
- I have a US green card. Does that get me an ETA?
- No. The UK looks at your Indian passport unless you travel on another nationality you hold.
Other passports
Bodhixt is not affiliated with UKVI. Confirm on GOV.UK before you book. Apply via https://www.gov.uk/eta only.