Loading page
About this tool
Work out when to leave home and get a route-specific list of what to carry, wear and leave behind at a UK visa centre in India.
This planner turns a UK visa application centre slot in India into a departure time and a route-specific packing list. It works backwards from the appointment using the 15-minute early arrival the centres ask for, adds your travel time and a traffic buffer, and then lists the documents, photo and biometric rules, and the items the centre will not let inside. Built for first-time applicants on the Standard Visitor, Student, Skilled Worker and family routes who get one slot and cannot afford to be turned away.
Open UK VAC India Appointment Day Checklist on AltFTool — it loads instantly in your browser.
Add your input to the workspace.
Adjust the options until the result looks right.
Copy or download the output and put it to work.
Appointment time minus 15 minutes minus travel minus buffer gives a single leave-home time, including slots that mean setting off the night before.
The paperwork changes with the route, the applicant's age and the length of stay, so the list you get is the one that applies to you.
Glasses, fresh mehndi, gloves and heavy makeup are the usual reasons a photo or fingerprint capture has to be repeated.
About 15 minutes before your slot. Centres run to the booked appointment time, so arriving very early normally just means waiting outside, while arriving late can cost you the slot and a rebooking fee.
Bags and luggage, laptops, tablets, cameras, power banks, smart watches, sealed envelopes or parcels, food and drink, and sharp items such as scissors or nail clippers. Storage, where a centre offers it, is a paid optional service, so the safest plan is to carry only a document folder, your passport and a pen.
Yes, if you are applying to stay in the UK for more than 6 months. The chest x-ray must be done at a UKVI-approved clinic and the certificate is valid for 6 months from the test date, so book it before the appointment rather than after.
Only the applicant is normally admitted. A parent or guardian may accompany an applicant under 18, and an attendant may accompany an applicant who needs assistance — carry proof of the relationship. Everyone else waits outside, so plan where they will park or sit.