You can enter the U.K. freely without needing a visa if you're citizen of the European Union. If not, visit your local visa application center with your passport,
U.K. address, a letter from a sponsor in the U.K., your trip itinerary, a passport-sized color photograph and evidence you have money to sustain the trip. Look for your local application center's address on the U.K. Border Agency's website (see References section). You can also apply online at the same site by clicking on the "Apply Online" button.
Pay your visa fee (this varies, depending upon your nationality), and provide records of your fingerprints---also known as "biometric information." Examine your fingers to ensure they are free of cuts or other blemishes that could compromise prints.
Have as many documents as possible from the U.K. sponsoring your entry, either from family, a host company or another institution in Britain. Check the Border Agency's website (see Resources section) for details of exceptions---for example, if you're part of a film crew, visiting for medical reasons or plan to marry a U.K. citizen. No matter what the reason, your visa will only be valid for six months.
Enter your Application or Visa Appointment Reference number on the Border Agency website, available on completion of your application, to track the progress of your case.
Wait for the visa agency to complete your application. The time taken for an application to process varies from place to place, but even the farthest locations from the U.K.---Jakarta, Canberra, Erbil (Iraq)---will take between a week and three months, though the latter time represents the extreme limit.
Launch an appeal within 28 days of your notification if unsuccessful. Consult your visa application center or the Border Agency website---you'll need to fill out and send an IAFT-2 form. If you have documents promoting your appeal, include these alongside your IAFT-2 form.
