India in United Kingdom — Visa & Immigration Sources
Visa types, work permits, residence permits, and immigration requirements for India nationals in United Kingdom — answered only from official government sources.
Key facts at a glance
- •The Asylum Support annual cost is £4 billion GBP (Home Office)
- •British Citizenship processing takes 12 months (UKVI)
- •British Citizenship requires: lived in the UK for the last 3 years (UKVI)
- •The Electronic Travel Authorisation (eta) application fee is £16 GBP (UKVI)
- •Electronic Travel Authorisation (eta) processing takes 3 working days (UKVI)
- •Electronic Travel Authorisation (eta) validity period: 2 years (UKVI)
Extracted from 90 official pages across 4 government sources. Auto-updated daily.
Official Sources
- HCI London4 pages
- HCI London1 page
- Home Office35 pages
- UKVI50 pages
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Key Policy Facts
Data points extracted from official government pages. Updated automatically.
Afghan Resettlement
- Number Of Afghans Resettled Since 2021
- 37,000
Britain has offered sanctuary to over 37,000 Afghans via its 2 resettlement schemes since 2021.
Asylum Claims
- Total Claims Last 5 Years
- 133,760
- Increase Percentage Myanmar
- 1600% %
- Percentage Of Claims From Study Visas In System
- 13% %
- Increase Percentage
- 470% %
- Increase In Asylum Claims Since 2021
- over 470%
- Reduction In Student Asylum Claims 2025
- 20%
- Total Asylum Claims Last 5 Years
- 133,760
- Percentage Of Claims From Study Visas
- 95% %
- Percentage Of Afghan Asylum Claims To Study Visas
- 95%
- Increase Percentage Cameroon Sudan
- 330% %
- Percentage Of Claims From Legal Routes
- 39%
In total, 133,760 people have claimed asylum after arriving legally in the past 5 years.
applications by students from Myanmar soared sixteen-fold over the same period.
those arriving on study visas still make up 13% of all claims in the system.
By the year ending September 2025, asylum applications by students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan had risen to over 470% of their 2021 level.
Asylum applications by students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan rocketed by over 470% between 2021 and 2025.
the government has successfully reduced student asylum claims by 20% over the course of 2025.
In total, 133,760 people have claimed asylum after arriving legally in the past 5 years.
Between 2021 and the year ending September 2025, the proportion of Afghan asylum claims to study visas issued was 95%.
Between 2021 and the year ending September 2025, the proportion of Afghan asylum claims to study visas issued was 95%.
Claims in the year ending September 2025 by students from Cameroon and Sudan rose to more than 330% of the number in 2021.
making up 39% of the 100,000 people who applied last year.
Asylum Support
- Annual Cost
- £4 billion GBP
Asylum support is currently costing more than £4 billion a year.
Biometric Residence Permits (brps)
- Expiration Date
- 31 December 2024
Since 18 March 2024, we have been advising people who have biometric residence permits (BRPs) expiring on 31 December 2024 with permission to enter or remain in the UK past that date, to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa.
British Citizenship
- Processing Time
- 12 months
- Eligibility Criteria
- lived in the UK for the last 3 years
To apply for citizenship with ILR you must usually have lived in the UK for 12 months after getting it.
Source: UKVI — British Citizenship
To apply as the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen you must have lived in the UK for the last 3 years.
Source: UKVI — British Citizenship
Brps
- Production Stopped Date
- 31 October 2024
Customers granted permission to stay in the UK for more than 6 months, since 31 October 2024 when the Home Office stopped producing BRPs, have been advised to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa.
Consular Camp
- Event Date
- 14.03.2026
CONSULAR CAMP IN MILTON KEYNES ON 14.03.2026
Source: HCI London — HCI London Homepage
Electronic Travel Authorisation (eta)
- Application Fee
- £16 GBP
- Revenue Generated
- £383 million GBP
- Exemption Criteria
- British and Irish citizens, including dual citizens
- Enforcement Start Date
- 25 February 2026
- Processing Time
- 3 working days
- Validity Period
- 2 years
- Number Of Applications
- 19 million
- Validity Period
- 2 years
- Processing Time
- 3 working days
- Application Fee
- £16 GBP
- Application Fee
- £20 GBP
- Processing Time
- 3 working days
- Launch Date
- October 2023
- Maximum Stay
- 6 months
Applying for an ETA is quick and simple through the official UK ETA app, and the cost is competitive at £16.
As of January 2026, ETA has generated over £383 million in revenue which is reinvested in improving the UK’s border and immigration system.
British and Irish citizens, including dual citizens, are exempt from needing an ETA.
From February 2026, visitors will not be able to travel to the UK without advance permission.
While most people currently get a decision automatically in minutes, it is recommended to allow 3 working days to account for the small number of cases that require additional review.
An ETA costs £16, permits multiple journeys, and lasts for 2 years or until the holder’s passport expires – whichever is sooner.
Since ETA was introduced in October 2023, over 19 million visitors have successfully applied.
An ETA lasts for 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner.
Source: Home Office — Visa - Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
Allow up to 3 working days (Monday to Friday) to get a decision, but it may arrive much sooner.
Source: Home Office — Visa - Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
An ETA costs £16, permits multiple journeys, and lasts for 2 years or until the holder’s passport expires – whichever is sooner.
An ETA costs £20.
Source: Home Office — Visa - Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
However, it is still recommended that visitors allow up to 3 working days before they plan to travel to receive their decision in time and, to account for the small number of cases that require additional review.
Since the launch of ETA in October 2023, more than 13.3 million visitors have successfully applied and benefited from faster, smoother travel.
You can come to the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, on a business trip or for short-term study.
Source: Home Office — Visa - Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
Electronic Travel Authorization (eta)
- Maximum Stay
- 6 months
- Processing Time
- 1 day
- Validity Period
- 2 years
An ETA lets you travel to the UK for up to 6 months.
You’ll get a decision by email from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), usually within a day.
An ETA lasts for 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner.
Emergency Contact
- Emergency Contact Number
- 00-44(0) 7768765035
For emergency after office hours: 00-44(0) 7768765035
Source: HCI London — HCI London Homepage
Eu Settlement Scheme
- Application Deadline
- 30 June 2021
- Deadline
- 30 June 2021
EU citizens who were living in the UK on or before 31 December 2020 must apply to the EU Settlement Scheme by 30 June 2021 to maintain their healthcare entitlements in the UK.
Source: Home Office — Healthcare - NHS Entitlements for Migrants
The deadline to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme for most people was 30 June 2021.
Source: UKVI — British Citizenship
Evisa
- Processing Time
- 6 months
- Application Fee
- 0 GBP
- Processing Time
- 6 months
- Validity Period
- more than 6 months months
- Number Of Issued Visas
- 10 million
- Application Fee
- 0 GBP
- Required Documents
- valid passport and visa application number or BRP number or expired BRP card
It can take up to 6 months to process an NTL application.
Source: Home Office — Visa - eVisa
To get an eVisa, you need to make a free ‘no time limit’ (NTL) application.
Source: UKVI — Visa - eVisa Information
It can take up to 6 months to process an NTL application.
Source: UKVI — Visa - eVisa Information
Customers granted permission to stay in the UK for more than 6 months, or who have indefinite leave to remain (also known as settlement) need an eVisa to prove their identity and status in the UK.
The UK has been phasing out physical documents for several years through the transition to eVisas, with over 10 million issued to date.
To get an eVisa, you need to make a free ‘no time limit’ (NTL) application.
Source: Home Office — Visa - eVisa
To create an account, you’ll need a phone number and email address that you can use each time you sign in. You’ll also need one of the following, if you have them: a valid passport and your visa application number - this is a global web form (GWF) number or unique application number (UAN) a valid pa…
Source: Home Office — Visa - eVisa
Expired Brp Card
- Validity Period
- 18 months
- Validity Period
- 18 months
you can use it for 18 months after the expiry date printed on the card.
Source: UKVI — Visa - eVisa Information
you can use it for 18 months after the expiry date printed on the card.
Source: Home Office — Visa - eVisa
Frontier Worker Permit
- Validity Period
- 6 months
You can work for 6 months from the date your employer checked your documents with the Home Office.
Source: Home Office — Right to Work
Global Talent Visa
- Healthcare Surcharge
- £1,035 GBP
this is usually £1,035 per year for each person applying.
Source: UKVI — Global Talent visa
Data last updated: 15 May 2026
Topics Covered
HCI London
HCI London Homepage · Education - General Information · Tax - India-UK Tax Initiatives · OCI Card Services
HCI London
Tax - India-UK Tax Initiatives
Home Office
Migration - Interministerial Group Communiques · Visa - Visas and Immigration · Policy - Migration Policy Impact Assessments · Visa - Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) · Housing - Asylum Accommodation · Migration - Channel Crossings · Citizenship - Applying for Citizenship · Driving - Driving in the UK · Citizenship - Personal Information Use · Visa - Electronic Travel Authorisation · Passport - Applying for a Passport · Visa - Support for Family Members · Housing - Finding a Place to Live · Healthcare - NHS Entitlements for Migrants · Residency - EU Settlement Scheme Update · Visa - eVisa · Passport - HM Passport Office · Work Permit - Eligible Occupations · Citizenship - Windrush Scheme Application Form · Right to Work · Residency - EU Settlement Scheme · Work Permit - Skilled Worker Visa · Visa - Immigration Bill · Visa - Immigration Rules Changes · Housing - Right to Rent · Work Permit - Working in the UK · Visa - UK Visas and Immigration · Citizenship - Windrush Scheme Guidance · Visa - Visa Restrictions · Visa - General Information · Immigration - Marriage or Civil Partnership in the Immigration Removal Estate · News - Immigration Policy Announcement · Visa - Organised Immigration Crime and Border Security · Asylum - Communication Hub · Visa - EU Border Checks
UKVI
Residency - Family Life Considerations · Asylum - Children Statement of Evidence · Visa - Country Returns Guide · Visa - Tier 1 General Settlement Refusals · Visa - Deportation Guidance · Work Permit - Register of Licensed Sponsors · Visa - ETA Scheme Enforcement · Visa - Online Immigration Status · Visa - Electronic Travel Authorisation · Visa - eVisa Information · Asylum - Information Booklet · Work Permit - General Information · Citizenship - Application to Register as British Citizen · Visa - Tuberculosis Test for Visa · Visa - Regulations · Visa - Visa Processing Times · Visa - Innovator, Founder and Scale-up Visas · Visa - Visa Requirements for Carriers · Tax - Paying Tax in the UK · Indefinite Leave to Remain · Visa - Tier 1 Entrepreneur Guidance · Standard Visitor Visa · Visa - eVisa Updates · British Citizenship · Visa - General Information · Visa - EU Settlement Scheme Guidance · Student Visa · Education - Education in the UK · Housing - Finding a Place to Live · Visa - Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) · Visa - Visas and Immigration · Graduate Visa · Visa - Visa Fees Transparency · Visa - Processing Times · Visa - Digital Permission to Travel · Healthcare - Tuberculosis Testing for Visa · Health and Care Worker visa · Scale-up Worker visa · Visa - What You Need to Do · Driving - Driving in the UK · Skilled Worker Visa · Visa - Immigration Bill · Visa - UK ETA Application · Asylum - Independent Appeals Body · Citizenship - General Information · Global Talent visa · Innovator Founder visa · Education - English Language Proficiency · Driving - eGates Eligibility · Visa - UKVI Support Videos
We list official government sources. We do not verify what they publish.
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I answer questions using 10 official government sources for India in United Kingdom.
Official sources for India in United Kingdom