How to Apply for a UK Tourist Visa (Visit Visa) in 2025: Step-by-Step Guide
Planning to visit the UK as a tourist? Learn how to apply for a UK tourist visa, required documents, and how to avoid refusal. Fast, easy, and stress-free.
Dhruti Thakrar
Dhruti Thakrar is a leading UK immigration solicitor and partner at Keystone Law, with over 28 years of experience advising multinationals, blue-chip firms, startups, and high-net-worth individuals. Recognized by The Legal 500, she specializes in both corporate and personal immigration law, sponsor licence compliance, and complex casework.
Thinking of visiting the UK as a tourist?
The UK Standard Visitor Visa — often called the UK tourist visa — is required for most non-visa-exempt nationals traveling to the UK for tourism, family visits, or short-term activities. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to complete your UK visa application for tourism in 2025.
Lack of ties to home country
The idea of a visit visa is that you are just visiting and intend to return to your home country, but it is your responsibility to prove that you will do so. This is an important aspect in any visit visa application but especially where you have ties in the UK (for example, family members here). There are several ways of proving you intend on going back home after visiting the UK, such as:
Family: Do you have a partner in your home country? Parents? Children? Evidence who they are.
Finances/career: Do you have a stable role, or perhaps own your own business? Provide detail and evidence this
Other assets: Do you own any property, land or other assets? Evidencing these can also strengthen your application.
Incorrect or incomplete application: It may seem obvious, but pay attention to the detail when filling out the online application. Inputting incorrect information, or completely missing out certain detail may indicate to the caseworker that you are attempting to deceive them which is a ground for refusal. Where you are unsure of certain details i.e. you are not confident that your travel history dates are correct, or you cannot remember the exact date on which you were previously refused a visa etc. you should state so on your application. Failing to provide all of the relevant information can also delay your application.
You should also ensure you upload all supporting documents. The Home Office may not contact you to request further documents and can refuse you on this basis, so it is important that you double check this.
3. Previous immigration violations
If you have ever violated immigration law in the UK or elsewhere, it is very important that you declare this and are fully honest about your immigration history. It is important to note that if you have previously failed to comply with immigration law, this may not instantly result in a refusal – it largely depends on the circumstances. If you previously did not extend your visa in time, this may be accepted where there is a good reason for doing so. However, more serious violations can lead to instant refusals.
4. The purpose of your visit
Whatever your reason may be for visiting the UK, whether it is to see a friend or attend an interview, you must evidence this. If you do not clearly demonstrate what you plan to do whilst you are in the UK, your application could be refused.
It is important that you are honest about your planned activities and that you have checked that what you plan to do is permitted as a visitor.
5. Travel history
Extensive travel history is generally a green flag in applications. If you have not travelled outside of your home country (or you have, but not often/not in a long time), it won’t negatively impact your application but it may raise slight suspicion as to whether you will actually leave the UK. Applicants who have travelled extensively and always complied with the conditions of their visas will more easily demonstrate that they do not intend to overstay in the UK.
6. False/misleading information and documents
It should be obvious, but providing false or misleading information and documents will usually result in a refusal and, in some cases, a ban. Lying on your application or providing false documents damages your credibility as an applicant, which will also lead the Home Office into doubting your planned activities in the UK and whether you actually intend on leaving at the end of your trip.
There is little you can say or do to defend yourself is your application is refused on the basis of deception so it is important that you are honest on your application and only provide genuine information and documents. Refusals on this basis will also harm any future applications you may make.