UK Visit Visa Application for Philippine Passport Holders

Many Filipinos wish to visit the United Kingdom to see tourist attractions or visit friends and families who have settled in the country.

And while it is clearly stated that this is indeed a visit visa, many others might interpret it as a way to find jobs or opportunity to migrate to the UK. So let’s be clear with the restrictions. For United Kingdom, these restrictions include the following:

1. Visit to UK cannot be for more than six (6) months;
2. The tourist must leave UK at the end of visit;
3. The tourist must have enough money to support himself or herself during his or her stay in the UK without working or needing help from UK’s public funds.
4. The tourist must not take paid or unpaid employment.
5. The tourist must not marry or register a civil partnership, or provide notice of marriage or civil partnership.
6. The tourist cannot get private medical treatment

There are two types of visit visas: general visit visas and family visit visas. For the sake of clarity, this application procedure focuses on general visit visa.

Application Process

United Kingdom tourist visas must be applied for a maximum of 3 months prior to intended entry. Application must first be done online to set an appointment, and then the applicant must appear during the appointment date to submit biometrics and supporting documents. The applicant must have a passport, a UK address which can be shown in a hotel booking or a friend’s address, email address before he or she can begin with the online application. In addition, he or she also has to prepare all supporting documents needed for the visa application and if they aren’t written in English then they need to be translated into English.

The online application goes through this process:

1. Register for an account
2. Fill in the application form in English
3. Pay for the visa fee online (in most cases)
4. Print out application form
5. Book and attend an appointment at a visa application center

Visa Center Locations

There are two UK Visa Application Centers in the Philippines through its partner VFS Global located in Manila and Cebu. Applicants who wish to lodge their UK visa application at the visa application center in Cebu have to pay an additional service fee of P4, 425 in cash at the visa application center.

VFS Global Services Philippines Private Inc.,

Mezzanine Floor Unit M01, Ecoplaza Building, 

2305 Pasong Tamo Extension Makati City, Metro Manila 1231

VFS Global Services Philippines Private Inc.,

9th Floor, Keppel Center, Unit 905, Samar Loop

cor. Cardinal Rosales Avenue,

Cebu Business Park, Cebu City 6000

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