UK Visa Application Forms
Complete guide to official forms, sections, and submission requirements
Mastering Your UK Visa Application Form
Your UK visa application form is one of the most critical components of your immigration journey. This official document serves as the foundation of your visa request, capturing personal details, travel history, employment background, financial information, and supporting context for your UK visit. Accuracy, completeness, and consistency between your form and supporting documents are absolutely essential for approval.
This comprehensive guide walks you through every section of the UK visa application form, explaining what information to provide and how to ensure your submission meets UK Home Office standards.
Understanding Your Application Form
Short-Stay Visas
Tourist visas and short-stay applications use the dedicated Visit Visa portal with streamlined online forms specifically designed for holiday and business visitors.
All Other Categories
Work, study, business, and family visas use the comprehensive Visa4UK system with detailed multi-section forms capturing extensive personal and employment information.
Section 1: Personal Details & Identity
Critical Rule: Match Your Passport Exactly
All personal information must match your passport word-for-word. Discrepancies will cause automatic rejection.
Given Name(s)
Your first name(s) exactly as shown on your passport. Do not include family name here.
For John Michael Smith, enter: John Michael
Family Name
Your surname exactly as shown on your passport.
For John Michael Smith, enter: Smith
Other Names
Include maiden names, names at birth, or any name you've been formally known by.
If you've been married before: list previous surname(s)
Date of Birth
Format must be DD/MM/YYYY exactly as shown on your passport.
15/03/1985 (not 3/15/85 or 15-03-1985)
Place of Birth
City/town where you were born, NOT current residence.
Your birthplace even if you've never lived there since
Country of Birth
Country of birth as it existed at time of birth (may differ from current country names).
If born in Yugoslavia, specify Yugoslavia (not current country)
Gender & Nationality
Legal Sex: Select the sex recorded on your passport. This is the legally recorded sex, not your gender identity.
Nationality: Must match the country that issued your passport. For dual nationals, use the passport country for this application.
Other Nationalities: Disclose all other nationalities held, even if you no longer hold passports for those countries.
Section 2: Marital Status & Family Information
Your Current Marital Status
Single
No legal marriage or civil partnership
No additional documentation required
Married
Legally married
Marriage certificate required
Civil Partnership
Legally registered civil partnership
Civil partnership certificate required
Unmarried Partner
Living with partner but not legally married
Proof of cohabitation required
Divorced
Marriage legally dissolved
Divorce decree required
Widowed
Spouse deceased
Death certificate required
Spouse/Partner Information
If married or partnered, provide:
- Full name exactly as on their passport
- Nationality/nationalities
- Date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY)
- Current address (if different from yours)
- Whether they will travel with you to the UK
Section 3: Passport & Travel Document Details
Complete this section with information from your current passport's biographical page:
Passport Number
Located top right on biographical page. Must match exactly.
Date of Issue
Format: DD/MM/YYYY
Date of Expiry
Passport must be valid for 3+ months beyond UK departure
Place of Issue
City and country that issued your passport
Issuing Authority
Official government body that issued the document
Type of Travel Document
Select: Ordinary, Diplomatic, Service, Official, Special, or Other
Previous Passports
If this is not your first passport, provide details of previous passports including: passport number, date of issue/expiry, and current location (with you, lost, stolen, expired, or returned).
Section 4: Contact Details & Communication
Accuracy is critical—these details contact you during application processing:
Full Address & Postal Code
Your current residence address. Include house number, street, city, region, postal code, and country. Use postal code for your actual address, not mail-only addresses.
How Long at This Address
Include start date and current status. If you've lived here less than 3 years, provide previous address information.
Telephone Numbers
Home phone: Landline if available (write "None" if you don't have one)
Mobile phone: Required. Include country code.
Email Address
Your active email address. This may be used for application status updates.
Section 5: Employment & Financial Information
Your Current Employment Status
Employed Full-Time
Employed Part-Time
Self-Employed
Unemployed
Student
Retired
Supported by Family Member
Employment Details (If Employed)
- Job title and current position
- Company/organization name
- Employment start date (DD/MM/YYYY)
- Full work address with postal code
- Employer's phone and email
- Monthly salary after tax
- Details of any secondary employment
Financial Information (All Applicants)
- Total monthly income from all sources
- Additional income (family gifts, investments, property)
- Savings and financial assets with values
- Monthly living expenses
- Money available for UK trip
- Who will pay for your travel and accommodation
Section 6: Travel & Immigration History
Immigration authorities review your travel history to assess risk. Complete accuracy is essential:
UK Travel (Last 10 Years)
All previous UK visits: dates, duration, purpose, visa status
International Travel (Last 10 Years)
All countries visited outside your home country: dates, duration, purpose
Previous Visa Refusals
Any UK or other country visa rejections: country, date, reference number if available
Previous UK Visas
All UK visas granted in last 10 years: visa type, dates, reference numbers
Entry Refusals
If denied entry at UK port despite having visa: date, location, reason if known
Deportations or Removals
If removed or deported from any country: country, date, reason, Home Office reference
Section 7: Criminal History & Security Questions
Complete honesty is essential. Undisclosed criminal history results in automatic rejection and potential fraud investigations:
Criminal Convictions
Disclose ALL criminal convictions including driving offences: location, date, offense, sentence
Pending Charges/Trials
Disclose if arrested, charged, or awaiting trial for any offense in any country
Terrorism/Extremism
Disclose any involvement in terrorist activities or extremist organizations
Character Concerns
Disclose any activities indicating you may not be considered of good character
Warning: Providing false information or failing to disclose criminal history can result in visa denial, future visa bans, and potential criminal charges for immigration fraud.
Section 8: Uploading & Submitting Supporting Documents
Document Submission Guidelines
File Format
- PDF preferred
- JPG/JPEG acceptable
- PNG acceptable
- Max 5MB per file
Document Quality
- Clear, legible images
- All four edges visible
- Appropriate lighting
- Original color (not B&W)
Important: Uploading documents to the online form is NOT a substitute for bringing originals to your visa appointment. You must present original documents in person.
Common Form Completion Mistakes to Avoid
Name Mismatches
Passport says 'Smith' but form says 'Smyth' = Automatic rejection
Date Format Errors
Using MM/DD/YYYY instead of DD/MM/YYYY causes processing delays
Incomplete Travel History
Missing visa applications or travel creates suspicion of concealment
Vague Descriptions
Unclear employment details or visit purpose raises red flags
Missing Information
Blank fields or 'N/A' for required sections cause rejection
Inconsistent Information
Different details on form vs. supporting documents = automatic rejection
Form Completion Success Tips
- 1.Match all information exactly to your passport—spelling, dates, names
- 2.Use DD/MM/YYYY format consistently for all dates
- 3.Complete every required field—leave nothing blank
- 4.Ensure consistency between form and supporting documents
- 5.Disclose complete travel and immigration history—nothing is hidden
- 6.Be honest about criminal history and security matters
- 7.Review form multiple times before submission for errors