Travel Guide To UK 

High Commission of India,
India House, Aldwych,
London, Wc2B 4NA
Tel: 00-44 (0) 20 8629 5950 (Working hours)

The following documents are required to get a UK visa :

• Original passport and old passports, if any
• The passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the date of submission of the visa
• The passport should have a minimum of three blank pages for stamping purpose
• Confirmed return air tickets
• The visa application form duly filled by the applicant
• 2 recent passport-size colour photographs, which should not be more than 3 months old
• Covering letter mentioning details of travel, details of the traveller, purpose of visit and duration of stay. The letter should be signed by the authorised person, along with company stamp and should be addressed to the Visa Officer
• Income Tax Returns for the past 3 years
• Proof of investments - Mutual funds, fixed deposits, national saving certificates, stocks & shares, etc
• Hotel confirmation details
• Original bank statements showing all the transactions for the last 6 months, duly attested and signed by a bank official

One of the most famous countries around the globe, the United Kingdom is situated in Europe. This destination is the dream place for a lot of individuals for its grandeur as well as beauty. Not only this place has a great history behind it, but it also has a rich culture and heritage.

• London: Located on the Thames River, the capital of England, London is the most populous city in Great Britain. Being the confluence of the old and the new, the city is undoubtedly one of the most significant tourist destinations all around the world. This city also has numerous attractions of different types consisting of a great heritage and architecture.

• Liverpool: Popular for its incredible culture, a happening nightlife, winning football teams, and The Beatles, Liverpool is one of the major cities of UK located in Merseyside in England. Lying within the boundaries of Lancashire, Liverpool is home to some of the best attractions in Europe and was awarded as the European Capital of Culture in 2009.

• Manchester: Situated in the heart of Greater Manchester, this city is present in North-western England. Famous for its impact on the historical scenario of music and industry as well as for its football clubs, this vibrant city is visited by various tourists throughout the year.

• York: York is an ancient cathedral city, which is situated in Yorkshire, England. Being the second most visited place in England after London, the city has some of the most iconic and preserved historical buildings as well as architecture in the entire UK. York is often considered the city of festivals because there exist various celebrations going on the whole year. Moreover, this place is also considered full of magic and an ideal destination for a short and romantic trip.

• Blackpool: After London, Blackpool is considered the most famous tourist destination in the UK. Millions of tourists visit this town every year, thanks to its popular seaside resort which has a vintage charm of its own.

The most convenient way to reach the UK is via air travel. There are a number flights that travel on an everyday basis from all major international airports in India to all the significant cities in the UK such as Manchester, Blackpool, York, and London among many others. A lot of flight options vary in cost as well as travel time. All the major European airlines provide multiple flights to Europe from major Indian cities like Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and many more. The most cost and time effective is to fly to London from Delhi, however, if you don't reside in Delhi, there exist various options from various major cities.

The best tourist season to plan a trip to the United Kingdom is during the spring and summer months when the temperature is comparatively warm. The daytime in the summer season is warm, and not too hot and the evenings are much cooler. The months of July and August have a majority of tourist crowd, where the streets are buzzing with travellers. The best time to visit the UK for the sports lovers is between May and July when they can enjoy watching the Wimbledon or FA soccer games.

Packing necessary products such as footwear and clothes usually depending on how cold it is in the UK. Here is a list of some of the travel essentials one must never forget to pack:

• Warm coat
• Earplugs
• First Aid Kit
• Decent Pair of shoes
• Relevant documents such as travel insurance policy
• Travel Umbrella

• Fish and Chips: This delicacy is the biggest staple and most popular of all British meals. Since 1865, this traditional meal has gained a lot of popularity in the country, and as a result, there are now an estimated 10,500 independent fish and chip shops throughout the United Kingdom.

• Cornish Pasty: This authentic Cornish pasty never fails to satisfy a hungry stomach. Potato, beef, swede, and onion are coated in a thick envelope of shortcrust pastry and then baked. If you like variety, you can try a lamb or some of the vegetarian options

• Apple Crumble: This dessert consists of sweet apples baked with a crumbling layer of butter, sugar, and flour, to become a dish of unique and contrasting textures.

• Pie and Mash: This iconic dish has come a long way from a simple steak and pork pies or kidney. The UK has an entire plethora of different pies to try. Being a classic comfort food, this pie served with a side of creamy mashed potatoes and lashings of rich gravy.

• Oxford Street: It is considered as the heart of London shopping, consisting of more than 300 shops, landmark stores, and designer outlets, you can discover some of the most amazing shopping stores in London. Home to the legendary Selfridges, it also boasts a range of popular department stores like Debenhams and John Lewis scattered among every famous high street chain imaginable.

• Regent Street and Jermyn Street: An elegant and impressive shopping spot, this street offer a fantastic range of mid-priced fashion stores along with some of the city's oldest and famous shops, such as The Apple Store, Liberty, and Hamleys.

• Bond Street and Mayfair: Whether you want to splurge out on the finest designer clothes or just enjoy luxury window shopping, Mayfair and Bond Street are the perfect destinations to go for some extravagant retail therapy.

• Taste of Nawab
  Location: 97 Colney Hatch Lane | Muswell Hill, London N10 1LR, England
  Contact: +44 20 8883 6429

• Ziya Asian Grill
  Location: 65-67 Wilmslow Road | Rusholme, Manchester M14 5TB, England
  Contact: +44 161 257 2010

• Saffron
  Location: 92 St. Johns Road | Waterloo, Liverpool L22 9QQ, England
  Contact: +44 151 920 8398

When going on a trip to the UK, it becomes important to be aware of some of the healthcare centres to avoid any mishappenings caused due to an emergency. Below is the list of some healthcare centres you can contact when in need:

• Brighton Station Health Centre
  Location: Aspect House, 84-87 Queens Rd, Brighton BN1 3XE, UK
  Contact: +44 333 321 0946

• Victoria Park Health Centre
  Location: 203 Victoria Park Rd, Leicester LE2 1XD, UK
  Contact: +44 116 215 1105

• Cripps Health Centre
  Location: University Park, Cripps Hill, Nottingham NG7 2QW, UK
  Contact: +44 115 846 8888

It’s highly advisable to buy a travel insurance policy before going on a trip to the UK. A travel insurance policy will help you find out the best hospitals in the area to get the appropriate treatment on time.

The official currency of the United Kingdom is Pound Sterling

The official language spoken in the UK is English. The tourists here do not face much trouble in navigating across the country. All you need to keep in mind is to be polite to everyone.

The following medical expenses are covered: 

• Travel insurance includes medical expenses, repatriation, and emergency medical evacuation. Even dental care expenses such as acute anesthetic treatment of teeth are covered.

“Deductible”means a cost-sharing requirement under this policy, that provides that the insurer will not be liable for a specified rupee amount or percentage of claim amount or number of days or number of hours, as specified in the policy schedule and which will apply before any benefits are payable by the insurer. A deductible does not reduce the sum insured and is applicable per event, upto the specified limits mentioned.

• Medical Expenses (inclusive of Repatriation and Emergency Medical Evacuation), Daily Allowance in case of hospitalization, Compassionate Visit benefits, the following will not be payable for Any pre-existing condition, Routine examinations, Expenses for rest or recuperation at spa/ health resort/ sanatorium, Pregnancy (including childbirth, miscarriage, abortion or related complications ) or treatment relating to the removal of physical flaws or anomalies (cosmetic treatment or plastic surgery).
• Cosmetic surgery, unless such cosmetic surgery is rendered medically necessary as part of treatment for accidents and burns whilst being abroad.
• Suicide, attempted or wilfully self inflicted injury or illness, mental disorder, anxiety, stress or depression, venereal disease, alcoholism, drunkenness or the abuse of drugs, or any loss arising, directly or indirectly, from any injury, illness, death, loss, expense, or other liability attributable to HIV and/or any HIV related illness including AIDS and/or any mutant derivative or variation thereof however caused.
• Treatment which could be reasonably delayed until the Insured’s return to India, which will be decided jointly by the treating Physician and the Emergency Assistance Service Provider and shall be in accordance with accepted standards of medical care.
• The Insured taking part in naval, military or air force operations; war and nuclear perils.
• Insured engaging in air travel unless he or she flies as a Fare Paying passenger in an aircraft licensed to carry passengers.
• Participation of the Insured in winter sports, mountaineering and such other professional sports or any other hazardous or potentially dangerous sport for which the Insured members are adequately trained, physically fit and using proper equipment. and that too only if specifically agreed and mentioned in the policy schedule.
• Hazardous occupation, or if engaged in any criminal or illegal act.
• Medical Expenses in respect of Experimental, investigational or unproven treatments or treatments which are not consistent with or incidental to the diagnosis and treatment of the positive existence or presence of any Illness for which confinement is required at a Hospital. Any Illness or treatment which is a result or a consequence of undergoing such experimental or unproven treatment.
• Naturopathy treatment.
• Non Allopathic treatment e.g. - Ayurvedic, Yogic, Homeopathic, Unani treatment(s).
• Under no circumstances shall this insurance contract be deemed to provide cover and no liability be incurred to pay any claim or provide any benefit hereunder to the extent that the provision of such cover, payment of such claim or provision of such benefit would expose us to any sanction, prohibition, or restriction under United Nations resolutions or the trade or economic sanctions, laws or regulations of the European Union, United Kingdom, United States of America & India

You can avail the Travel Insurance online and enjoy the benefits offered by ICICI Lombard General Insurance (Bharti AXA General Insurance*)

Loss of passport and documents:

Reimbursement of actual expenses incurred in connection with obtaining a duplicate or fresh passport or reasonable cost of replacing/obtaining the stolen documents/ tickets if the passport belonging to the Insured / Insured Person be lost

Home Fire Insurance Contents & Home Burglary Insurance (contents):

Cover against any loss or damage of the Contents at Home of the Insured in India caused by Fire and Allied perils or through burglary and/or housebreaking while the Insured is on a trip abroad.

Hijack Distress Allowance

Payment of distress allowance in case of hijack of a common carrier for more than certain number of hours whilst on the trip. You can easily avail the allowance by filing a claim online through Travel Insurance cover online process.

Medical Expensesinclusive of Repartration  and Emergency Medical Evacuation

If you are sick or injured during the journey, your medical expenses can prove to be costly. In such cases,  Travel Insurance cover greatly helps. The insurance company also offers a cashless settlement with the network hospitals or you can also opt for the reimbursement process within 30 days of hospitalization.

Legal Expenses

Payment of legal costs and expenses incurred by the Insured towards claims from third Parties for compensation in respect of death or disablement arising due to an injury whilst on a trip abroad.

Personal Accident

Payment of compensation if the Insured sustains accidental bodily injury during a trip resulting in death or Permanent Total Disablement or Permanent Partial Disablement within 12 months of occurrence of such injury.

Trip Cancellation/Or Interruption

Payment towards the non-refundable prepaid payments incurred on the trip being cancelled and additional cost of transportation in case of Interruption: due to medical problems, personal employment problems or natural disasters or other listed reason in policy wordings.

Trip Delay

 Reimbursement of additional expenses if trip is delayed beyond a period, due to airline problems, medical problems, personal employment problems or natural disasters.

 Daily Allowance in case of Hospitalisation

 Payment of daily allowance for the days the Insured is hospitalised beyond a specified number of days, as mentioned in the Policy Schedule, for which a valid claim is admissible under the Policy whilst on a trip abroad.Emergency Accommodation

 Payment of compensation for the additional cost of emergency accommodation if the Insured/ Insured Person could not stay in the accommodation originally booked due to ­fire& flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane, explosion, outbreak of major infectious diseases.

During a trip there are chances of unfortunate events such as loss of checked in baggage, medical emergency, loss of passport that can spoil your international trip, be it business or leisure. Travel insurance can protect you from such events ensuring that you are left stuck in foreign land.