Yes, as a Pakistani passport holder you need a visa to visit the UK, even for a short family trip. Most people apply online for a Standard Visitor visa, give their fingerprints and photo at a VFS Global centre in Pakistan, and usually get a decision within 3 weeks. The visa lets you stay for up to 6 months per visit, and almost everything in the application comes down to one question: will you go home at the end of your trip?
Who needs a UK visit visa
Pakistan is on the “visa national” list in the Immigration Rules, so you must hold a visa before you travel. The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is only for nationalities that do not need a visa, so it is not an option on a Pakistani passport.
The Standard Visitor visa covers tourism, visiting family and friends, and many short business trips. You cannot work for a UK company, claim benefits, or live in the UK through frequent or back-to-back visits. If you plan to marry in the UK you need a Marriage Visitor visa instead. Our Standard Visitor visa guide covers the permitted activities in more detail.
How the application works
- Apply online on GOV.UK. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.
- Pay the fee. At the time of review, a visa for up to 6 months costs £135. Long-term visitor visas cost £506 (2 years), £903 (5 years) and £1,128 (10 years), and each stay is still limited to 6 months. Fees change, so see our UK visa price guide for Pakistan and GOV.UK before you pay.
- Book an appointment at a visa application centre and upload your supporting documents.
- Attend the appointment to have your fingerprints and photo taken.
- Get your decision. UKVI stopped issuing visa stickers (vignettes) to new applicants on 1 July 2026. If you are approved you get an eVisa, which you view in your UKVI account before you travel.
Visa application centres in Pakistan
GOV.UK’s find a visa application centre page sends applicants in Pakistan to VFS Global, the company that runs the UK visa application centres here. There have long been centres in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, and a local service in Mirpur that has in the past carried an extra charge. Locations, opening days and optional paid services change, so check them on the VFS Global Pakistan site when you book. Always start from the GOV.UK link, and never pay anyone who offers to “sell” you an appointment.
Documents checklist
There is no single fixed list. Your documents should prove your job, your money and your plans, and they should agree with each other. Most applications from Pakistan include:
- A passport valid for your whole stay, plus old passports that show your travel history.
- Recent personal bank statements that show where your money comes from. GOV.UK says statements or letters issued more than a year before you apply are less useful.
- If you are employed, a letter from your employer on headed paper giving your role, salary and length of service, with recent salary slips.
- If you run a business, business registration documents or recent invoices that show it is still trading.
- Evidence of family ties, such as a NADRA Family Registration Certificate (FRC), if your family in Pakistan is part of your reason to return.
- If someone in the UK is inviting or paying for you: a letter from them, proof of their UK status and address, and evidence that they can support you as well as themselves and their dependants.
- A simple travel plan: dates, where you will stay and who is paying.
- A full English translation of any document in Urdu or another language. Each translation must confirm it is accurate and give the translator’s name, signature, contact details and the date.
For more detail on each item, see our guide to UK visa supporting documents.
Funds and ties: what the officer is weighing
The rules say you must show that you will leave the UK at the end of your visit, that you can support yourself (or someone else will), and that you can pay for your return journey. There is no minimum bank balance. The officer asks whether the cost of the trip makes sense next to your income and savings, and whether your money has a clear, regular source.
Ties are the reasons you will come back: a job you will return to, a business, your spouse and children, your studies, property or a parent who depends on you. One strong, well-evidenced tie is worth more than a pile of unrelated papers.
How long a decision takes
GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks of your appointment. Some applications take longer, for example if you are asked for more information or an interview. You may be able to pay for a faster decision where the centre offers it. Do not book non-refundable flights until your visa is granted.
Why visit visas from Pakistan get refused
Most visit visa refusals come down to the officer not being satisfied that you are a genuine visitor who will leave on time. The usual triggers are:
- money that appears in the account shortly before the application with no explanation;
- a trip that looks too expensive for your declared income;
- weak or unproven ties to Pakistan;
- past immigration problems, such as an overstay, that are not addressed;
- false or missing information, which can also lead to a ban on future applications.
A visit visa refusal is not on GOV.UK’s list of decisions you can appeal to the tribunal unless a human rights claim is involved, so it pays to get the first application right. Our guide to UK visa refusal reasons explains how to read a refusal letter and fix the problem before you reapply.
Common mistakes we see from Pakistan applications
- Cash deposits made just before applying to “boost” the balance.
- An employer letter giving one salary while the bank statements show another.
- An invitation from relatives in the UK with no evidence of their own finances or status.
- Not declaring a previous refusal from the UK or another country.
- Urdu documents sent without translations, or translations with no translator details.
- Paying an agent who promises a “guaranteed” visa. Nobody can promise that.
FAQ
Is there a minimum bank balance for a UK visit visa?
No. You need enough to cover your trip without harming your finances at home, and the money should have a clear source. A modest, steady balance usually reads better than a large, sudden one.
Can I ask for a 2, 5 or 10-year visa?
Yes, you can choose a long-term visa when you apply. You must show that you will meet the visitor rules for the whole period, and each stay is still limited to 6 months.
Will I get a sticker in my passport?
Not any more. Since 1 July 2026 successful applicants get an eVisa. Create and check your UKVI account before you fly. If you are given a form to accompany your eVisa, you will usually collect it from the visa application centre.
How early should I apply?
You can apply up to 3 months before you travel. Applying early in that window gives you time to deal with any request for more documents.
Applying from Pakistan? Send us a few lines about your case and we will tell you which route fits and what to prepare.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Rules and fees change; check GOV.UK before you apply.