UK Standard Visitor Visa 2026: Fees, Documents, Processing Times

The United Kingdom is not part of the Schengen area: even with a Schengen visa in your passport, you need a separate British authorisation. For tourism, family visits, business or a short course of study, that is the Standard Visitor visa. Fully online application, biometrics at an approved centre, a decision in about three weeks: here is the 2026 guide for applicants from French-speaking Africa, backed by official UK government figures.

Since 8 April 2026, the Standard Visitor visa costs £135 (about €160) for a 6-month visa (source: gov.uk). Key points:

• The visa allows stays of up to 6 months, for tourism, family visits, business (meetings, conferences, negotiations), private medical treatment or short studies.
• Long-term visas exist for frequent travellers: £506 (2 years), £903 (5 years) and £1,128 (10 years) on the 8 April 2026 fee schedule; each stay remains capped at 6 months. Check the current fee on visa-fees.homeoffice.gov.uk on the day you pay.
• Fees are not refunded if the application is refused.
• Paid priority services are available at some centres, at extra cost.

The Standard Visitor visa is applied for fully online and requires a valid passport with at least one blank page, biometrics at the centre, proof of funds, proof of activity, proof of accommodation and a certified English translation of any French document.

The UK file looks lighter on paper than a Schengen file, but the substantive assessment is stricter:

• Fully online application, no paper form;
• Fee payment online by card;
• Biometric data: fingerprints and photo, taken at the application centre;
• Proof of sufficient funds to finance the trip without working;
• Employment certificate or proof of activity: employer letter, business registration, school enrolment certificate;
• Proof of accommodation: hotel booking or invitation letter with a full address.

Add a valid passport with at least one blank page, and have every document written in French translated into English (certified translation): this UKVI requirement is often overlooked and causes avoidable refusals.

The Standard Visitor visa application is completed online on gov.uk, in English, in 30 to 60 minutes, then the £135 fee is paid before a biometrics appointment at a VFS Global centre (Dakar, Abidjan, Yaoundé, Kinshasa, Libreville, Antananarivo…).

1. Check whether you need a visa for your nationality on the United Kingdom page: only two African passports, Mauritius and Seychelles, are exempt and fall under the ETA instead (see below).
2. Complete the online application on gov.uk, in English. Allow 30 to 60 minutes: the questions cover your professional, financial and family situation, your travel history and the planned stay. Be rigorously accurate: any inconsistency with your documents will count against you, and a false statement can lead to a 10-year ban.
3. Pay the £135 online.
4. Book your biometrics at a VFS Global centre: VFS has run the UK centres in the region since late 2024 (Dakar, Abidjan, Yaoundé, Kinshasa, Libreville, Antananarivo…). There is no centre in Cotonou or Lomé: applicants from Benin and Togo apply in a neighbouring country (list on gov.uk, "Find a visa application centre").
5. Upload your supporting documents before the appointment, or have them scanned at the centre (often a paid service).
6. Attend the appointment with your passport; fingerprints and photo are collected.
7. Wait for the decision, notified by email, then collect your passport with the vignette.

The UK Standard Visitor visa is decided within 3 weeks (15 working days) after the biometric appointment, according to gov.uk; you can apply up to 3 months before travel, ideally 6 to 8 weeks before departure.

The UKVI standard is a decision within 3 weeks (15 working days) after the biometric appointment (source: gov.uk). You can apply up to 3 months before travel. In summer and before the end-of-year holidays, both appointments and decisions stretch out: start the application 6 to 8 weeks before departure, and do not book non-refundable tickets before the decision.

The most common refusal ground for the Standard Visitor visa is paragraph V 4.2: the caseworker is not satisfied that you are a genuine visitor; there is no official daily amount, but 6 months of bank statements are expected.

The most common refusal is issued under paragraph V 4.2 of the UK Immigration Rules: the caseworker is not satisfied that you are a genuine visitor who will leave at the end of the stay. Unlike Schengen, there is no official daily amount: the officer assesses the overall consistency of your profile. To convince them:

• 6 months of bank statements showing regular income and a balance consistent with your standard of living. A large, unexplained deposit just before applying is the classic red flag.
• Employer letter stating position, salary, length of service and approved leave; for the self-employed, business registration and tax returns.
• Strong ties: family remaining at home, employment, property, a business, ongoing studies.
• A realistic budget: two weeks in London is expensive; a budget out of proportion with your declared income raises doubt.
• A UK sponsor: possible (invitation letter, proof of the sponsor's status and income), but it does not replace your own ties, the officer assesses your profile first.

If refused, there is no appeal for this visa in most cases: you must submit a new application (and pay again) responding point by point to the grounds in the refusal letter.

The UK ETA, at £20 since 8 April 2026 and valid for 2 years, only concerns nationalities exempt from the visitor visa, including Mauritius and Seychelles in Africa; most French-speaking African countries need the Standard Visitor visa instead.

The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) only concerns nationalities exempt from the visitor visa: for example the EU, the United States and the Gulf states and, on the African side, only Mauritius and Seychelles. It is an electronic authorisation, not a visa: £20 since 8 April 2026 (source: Home Office), applied for via the UK ETA app, with a decision usually within minutes to 3 working days, valid 2 years with multiple entries. If your nationality needs a visa (the case for most French-speaking African countries, including Senegal and Cameroon), the ETA does not apply to you: beware of websites selling an “ETA” to nationals who are subject to the visa requirement. Our UK ETA guide explains who needs one.

Does a UK visa let me enter Ireland or the Schengen area? No. The Schengen area requires its own visa, and Ireland runs its own regime; the British-Irish Visa Scheme only covers certain nationalities and visa types. Check before planning a combined trip.

Can I work on a Standard Visitor visa? No. Any paid work, employed or self-employed, for a UK entity is prohibited; only certain business activities (meetings, negotiations, conferences) are permitted.

What happens if my application is refused? The £135 is lost. The refusal letter details the grounds: fix each point (most often funds or ties) before reapplying. Previous refusals must be declared in any new application, for the UK and elsewhere.

Are my documents in French accepted? No: every document must come with a certified English translation, including the translator's name, the date and a confirmation of accuracy.

Is a 2, 5 or 10-year visa worth it? If you travel to the UK every year (family, business), yes: the cost per trip drops sharply. But a first long-term application may be downgraded to a 6-month visa if your travel history is thin.