Passport and Visa Requirements in United Kingdom: real experience from chats
Short answer
Submit color scans of all passport pages as PDFs under 2MB and ensure bank statements are dated within one month of your biometrics appointment. Upload documents online before your appointment to avoid high service fees at the visa center, and note that physical passports are no longer required for visa processing.
From real experience
When applying for a UK visa, it is often a requirement to submit scans of all passport pages, including blank ones.
While not always strictly enforced for rejections, it is recommended to comply with this requirement to avoid potential complications. The VFS may charge for this service. Always check the latest checklist for updated requirements.
✓ 2 reports from chats
Booking a biometrics appointment for a UK visa can be challenging, especially during peak seasons (mid-February to early June) when slots are scarce and bot prices are high.
The period from late June to late September offers more availability, but appointments may be weeks away. The most comfortable time for visa applications is from October to January, with immediate or next-day slots available. Applicants can upload and modify documents until 23:59 on the day before their biometrics appointment. Physical passports are no longer retained for visa stamping, as the UK transitioned to digital visas in February.
✓ 1 report from chats
When submitting documents at a UK Visa Application Centre (VAC), scanned documents cannot be sent via email or uploaded by the applicant.
If applicants bring printed scans, the VAC will charge a fee for copying and then scanning. Original documents will also be copied and scanned for a fee. It is advisable to bring all necessary documents, including color copies of all passport pages (even blank ones), already printed.
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For UK visa appointments, always bring the 'Appointment Confirmation' and your passport.
While some regional centers (e.g., Novosibirsk) insist on a 'Document Checklist', it is often not required for submission. Files uploaded to the portal must be under 2MB. When providing bank statements, ensure they are no older than one month relative to the biometrics appointment date.
✓ 1 report from chats
For UK visa applications, after submitting supporting documents online, you will attend a biometric appointment.
Some users have reported that even if they submitted their passport for visa stamping in the past, current electronic visas do not require physical passport submission; instead, biometrics are taken, and the visa is processed digitally.
✓ 1 report from chats
Document submission for UK visa: Upload employment proof under 'Employment', financial statements (separately per bank) under 'Financial evidence', and previous/current passports under 'Passport/Travel document'.
Use PDF format only. Do not upload the application form or checklist. Russian domestic passport is not required.
✓ 1 report from chats
For UK visitor visa applications from Russia, the Russian domestic passport is not required to be uploaded.
The application checklist is generated automatically based on the visa questionnaire; downloading and signing the checklist before the appointment is generally unnecessary, as the VFS center primarily requires the appointment confirmation sheet.
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When applying for a UK visa from the Russian Federation, you do not need to submit your physical passport.
After your application is processed, you will receive a decision via email. You will then need to register your visa online according to the instructions provided.
✓ 1 report from chats
User plans to photograph their passport pages themselves and submit them as PDFs.
They are concerned if fingerprints appearing on the photos are acceptable, or if strict scanning is required without any such marks.