Visitor / Tourist Visa

A visitor visa lets you travel to another country for a short stay — tourism, visiting family, or a business trip — without the right to work or settle. It sounds simple. It is one of the most-refused visa categories for Indian applicants.

The reason is a single question every officer is really asking: will this person come back? A visitor visa is granted on trust. The officer cannot see your intentions — only your documents. A genuine traveller with a weak file gets refused; a well-prepared file that clearly answers that one question gets approved.

This guide compares the main visitor visas Indians apply for in 2026 — the Schengen visa, the US B1/B2, the UK Standard Visitor, the Canada TRV and Australia's subclass 600 — then covers the application process, the documents every file needs, the reasons visitor visas get refused, and how to recover from a refusal. The paperwork is not the hard part. Proving you will return is.

Compare the main visitor visas

Each visitor visa has its own stay limit, validity and quirks. Match the visa to where you are actually going.

| Visa | Maximum stay | Validity | Interview | Typical processing | |---|---|---|---|---| | Schengen visa | 90 days in any 180-day period | Single or multiple entry, up to 5 years | Usually none | About 15 calendar days, sometimes longer | | USA B1/B2 | Up to 6 months per entry (the officer decides) | Often issued 10-year multiple entry | Always — in person | Interview wait varies widely | | UK Standard Visitor | Up to 6 months | 6 months, or 2 to 10-year long-term | Usually none | Around 3 weeks | | Canada TRV | The officer decides, commonly up to 6 months | Often multiple entry, up to passport validity | Usually none | Varies by visa office | | Australia subclass 600 | 3, 6 or 12 months | Tourist and Business streams | Usually none | Varies |

Verified from GOV.UK — Standard Visitor visa · checked 2026-05-16

Verified from US Department of State — Visitor visas · checked 2026-05-16

Which visitor visa do you need

It depends entirely on your destination. Travelling across Europe — France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and more — you need a Schengen visa, applied for through the country where you will spend the most time. For the United States, it is the B1/B2 — B1 for business, B2 for tourism and family visits, usually issued together and almost always for 10 years.

For the United Kingdom, the Standard Visitor visa covers tourism, family visits and short business trips for up to six months. For Canada, the TRV (Temporary Resident Visa) is the standard visitor route, frequently issued as a long-validity multiple-entry visa. For Australia, the subclass 600 handles both tourist and business visits.

If you plan to visit family who are citizens or residents abroad, the visitor visa still applies — but expect the officer to look harder, because a relative who can host you is also a reason some applicants overstay.

The application process, step by step

1. Fix your travel purpose and dates

   Decide exactly why you are travelling and when. A vague trip is a weak application.

2. Check funds and sponsorship

   Confirm who is paying — you or a host — and that the bank balance comfortably covers the trip.

3. Build your itinerary and bookings

   Prepare flight and accommodation reservations, and travel insurance where the visa requires it.

4. Gather ties-to-home evidence

   Assemble proof of the job, business, property and family that anchor you to India.

5. Complete the application form

   Fill the form carefully and consistently — every date and detail must match your documents.

6. Book biometrics or the interview

   Schedule the visa-centre appointment, or the consular interview for the United States.

7. Attend, submit and wait

   Give biometrics or attend the interview calmly and honestly, then wait for the decision before booking anything non-refundable.

Documents every visitor visa file needs

1. Valid passport — with blank pages and validity well beyond your trip.
2. Completed application form — accurate and consistent with every other document.
3. Photographs — to the exact specification of the country.
4. Travel itinerary — flight reservations and a day-by-day plan.
5. Accommodation proof — hotel bookings, or an invitation letter from your host.
6. Financial proof — 6 months of bank statements, salary slips and income tax returns.
7. Travel insurance — mandatory for Schengen (minimum EUR 30,000 cover), advisable everywhere.
8. Ties-to-home evidence — employment letter, business proof, property papers.
9. Invitation letter — if a family member or business is hosting you, with their status proof.
10. Cover letter — a short, honest letter explaining the trip, who is paying, and when you return.

Why visitor visas get refused — and the fix

1. Weak ties to home. The officer is not convinced you will return. The fix: show a stable job or business, property and dependent family in India.

2. Insufficient or unexplained funds. A balance too low for the trip, or money that appeared suddenly. The fix: show a seasoned balance that comfortably covers the trip — see our proof of funds guide.

3. An unclear purpose. A trip with no real plan reads as a cover story. The fix: a specific itinerary and an honest cover letter.

4. Inconsistent information. Dates or details that differ across documents. The fix: cross-check every paper before you submit.

5. A weak immigration history. A past overstay, or refusals you did not disclose. The fix: declare everything honestly and explain it.

6. A host who raises questions. A relative abroad whose own status or finances are unclear. The fix: include the host's status documents and a clear invitation letter.

The costs you should plan for

Visitor visa costs are mostly one-time: the government visa fee, the visa-centre service charge, biometrics, travel insurance, photographs, courier and any translation. Fees vary by country — the Schengen and UK fees are modest; the US B1/B2 fee is separate from the interview.

If you have a past refusal, factor in the cost of understanding it before you reapply — for a Canadian refusal, that means GCMS notes. And budget realistically for the trip itself: a balance that only just covers your stay is itself a refusal risk.

How Lifeset Overseas handles visitor visas

We are a licensed visa consultancy in Patiala, Punjab, and we treat visitor visas with the same seriousness as any other file — because a careless tourist application can leave a refusal stamp that follows you for years.

We start with an honest read on your profile: how strong your ties to India are, whether your funds tell a clean story, and whether the trip makes sense on paper. We build the itinerary, the cover letter and the ties-to-home evidence so the officer's one real question is answered before they ask it.

You get one consultant, a fixed, disclosed fee, and — if you have already been refused — genuine refusal-recovery help. For a refused Canada visitor visa we retrieve the GCMS notes, find the officer's actual reason, and rebuild the file before reapplying. For a US refusal, we work on what 214(b) really means for your profile.

Visitor visa FAQs

Why are visitor visas refused so often? Because they are granted on trust. The officer must believe you will return home, and cannot see your intentions — only your documents. A file that does not clearly prove strong ties to India gets refused.

What does "ties to home country" mean? It is the evidence that you have reasons to come back — a stable job or business, property, and dependent family in India. Strong ties are the single most important part of a visitor visa file.

How much bank balance do I need? There is no fixed figure. You need a seasoned balance that comfortably covers the whole trip — flights, stay, daily costs — with a cushion. Money that appears suddenly works against you.

Can I visit family abroad on a visitor visa? Yes. Visiting relatives is a valid purpose. Include an invitation letter and your host's status documents, and expect the officer to look closely, since a host can also be a reason people overstay.

What is a 214(b) refusal? It is the US ground for refusing a visitor visa when the applicant has not proven strong enough ties to return home. It is the most common B1/B2 refusal — and it is recoverable with a stronger profile.

Can I appeal a Schengen refusal? Yes — Schengen refusals can be appealed within a set deadline, or you can reapply with a stronger file. Which is better depends on the refusal reason; do not simply resubmit the same application.

Do I need travel insurance? For a Schengen visa it is mandatory — minimum EUR 30,000 of medical cover for the whole stay. For other countries it is strongly advised even when not required.

How long can I stay on a visitor visa? It varies. A Schengen visa allows 90 days in any 180; the UK and US allow up to 6 months per entry; Canada and Australia depend on what the officer grants. The visa validity and the permitted stay are two different things.

Will a past refusal stop me getting a visitor visa? No — but you must declare it. An undeclared refusal is far more damaging than the refusal itself. Declared and properly addressed, a past refusal can be overcome.

When should I apply? Apply a few weeks to a few months ahead — enough time for processing and for any delay — but not so early that your bank statements and bookings go stale by your travel date.