Visa for the United Kingdom from Burkina Faso: price, documents and processing time 2026

This visa covers tourism and holidays, visiting family or friends, and certain short business activities (meetings, interviews). The stay is usually up to 6 months per visit; long-term visitor visas of 2, 5 or 10 years also exist for frequent travellers. On fees (Home Office, official conversions published for Burkina Faso): a 6-month visit is about £135, the 2-year version about £506, 5-year about £903, 10-year about £1,128. Visitor visas are not subject to the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). Fees change: check the exact amount on visa-fees.homeoffice.gov.uk on the day you apply, and budget for possible service-provider charges on top.

• Government fee135 GBP
• Application centre feeVariable, set by the operator
• Agency or online serviceOptional, added on top
• ExtrasVariable

Burkina Faso is a yellow-fever-endemic country (WHO, CDC). The UK does not require this vaccine on entry. However, keep your international certificate of vaccination (yellow card) because Burkina Faso requires it to enter or re-enter, and some transit countries demand proof of vaccination from travellers coming from an endemic zone. The WHO certificate has been valid for life since 2016; get vaccinated at least 10 days before departure for it to be valid.

A valid passport is required, with validity covering the entire stay. A return or onward ticket and proof of accommodation or resources should be prepared. Travel insurance covering the duration of the stay is recommended. Visa applications must be submitted at the UK embassy or consulate before departure.

You apply ONLINE on gov.uk, pay the fee, then book an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) to give your biometrics (fingerprints + photo). The UK visa provider for sub-Saharan Africa is now VFS Global. Note: there is no UK centre in Burkina Faso, gov.uk's official 'Find a visa application centre' tool tells Burkina Faso applicants to choose a centre in another country. The nearest VFS Global centre for the region is in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire), but VFS also runs UK centres in Accra (Ghana) and Dakar (Senegal). Confirm the exact centre assigned to you when booking, and plan for the cost and time of travelling outside Burkina Faso. Prepare: a passport valid for the duration of stay, proof of sufficient funds, accommodation, itinerary and return ticket, and evidence of your intention to leave the UK and your ties to Burkina Faso (employment, family, property).

Then the application goes to the post accredited for Burkina Faso, often in a neighbouring capital, or to a state acting on its behalf. Confirm which post is competent with the official source before travelling to a third country to apply, a rejected file at the wrong counter costs the trip and the fee.

The regime follows your nationality, not where you live. If you reside in Burkina Faso but travel on another country's passport, the rule on this page is not yours. Filing usually still happens from your country of residence, at the post competent for it, but the requirement itself comes from your passport.