United Kingdom extends Diplomatic Visa Arrangement to India

Eligible Indian diplomatic-passport holders can now use the United Kingdom’s Diplomatic Visa Arrangement visitor route.

The route facilitates official diplomatic travel while retaining a pre-travel clearance process. It is not a general visitor concession and is not available to holders of ordinary, official or service passports.

Eligible applicants must be over 18, hold a valid Indian diplomatic passport, apply from outside the UK, and be supported by the Government of India through a Note Verbale. The application is fee-free and fingerprint biometrics are not required, although a compliant photograph and passport submission remain necessary.

A successful applicant is normally granted a two-year, multiple-entry visitor visa with stays of up to six months at a time. The route does not permit dependants and is not a route to settlement.

The Note Verbale is central to eligibility, so government support and passport details should be aligned before filing.