How many months in advance can you apply for a UK Standard Visitor visa?

How many months in advance can you apply for a UK Standard Visitor visa? - Interior of library with bookshelves

I am a South African citizen planning on travelling to mainland Europe for three months and then London after that. The Schengen requires me to show the UK visa as it is my final destination country. However, I can only apply for the UK visa up to 3 months in advance. I will not be here to do that.

I'm not sure what to do - if I apply for the UK visa four months in advance, will it get rejected?

Will I have to apply for it while in Europe?



Best Answer

How many months in advance can you apply for a UK Standard Visitor visa?

The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.




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Can I apply for UK visa 4 months ahead?

Customers can apply up to 3 months in advance of their travel date. UK Visas and Immigration aim to provide an appointment at your local visa application centre within 5 working days and to process non-settlement visas within 15 working days.

How long does it take to get UK standard visitor visa?

Visit the UK Standard visitor visa applications are currently taking on average 6 weeks to process.

Can I apply for UK visitor visa before it expires?

How Far in Advance can I Renew my UK Visa Before it Expires? You can renew your UK visa well in advance of it expiring. It is generally stated that you can submit an application for a renewal or for a new visa at any time, and you don't have to wait for your current leave to come to an end.

Can I apply for visa 6 months in advance?

Re: how far in advance of travel can you apply for visa? The Indian visa is valid from the date of issue, and its from three to six months at the discretion of the visa officer.



Standard Visitor Visa UK Documents




More answers regarding how many months in advance can you apply for a UK Standard Visitor visa?

Answer 2

South African nationals require an entry clearance.

I'm not sure what to do - if I apply for the UK visa four months in advance, will it get rejected?

Yes, they are not allowed to forward date a visa beyond 3 months (Part 2 of the Immigration Rules). And they will reject the application (rather than give you a refusal). However, you can apply from any place in Europe given that you are in one place long enough for them to process your application. The processing time is usually 5 working days.

Will I have to apply for it while in Europe?

Yes, you would create an account and fill out the form. At the end the programme will tell you where to enrol your biometrics. Depending on your history, you MIGHT qualify for priority.


For the difference between 'visa rejection' and 'visa refusal', hover your mouse over the tags and read the definitions.

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