All applicants must submit an on-line application and attend in person to submit documents and fingerscans at the British High Commission in Freetown. Applicants for visit, transit, student, and other short term visa categories should apply at least three weeks before their intended date of travel. Settlement applications may take up to three months to process. As the application is partly processed through the British High Commission in Banjul, the British High Commission in Freetown does not have any ability to arrange visas at short notice. Applicants are provided with the earliest possible date for a decision when they submit their applications. Find out more about how to apply for UK visas.

Once you have completed the on-line visa application form, you should print a copy and submit this to the visa office with:

• You valid passport or travel document with at least 6 months validity remaining, and enough space to insert a visa
• Two recent passport sized photographs
• The correct visa fee in Leones (Leones 5,000 or 10,000 notes). Please see our visa fees. The visa fee is non-refundable
• Any original supporting documents you consider relevant to your application
• In addition to the above, the British High Commission requires photocopies of all documents submitted in support of an application and a photocopy of the front page of their application form. Any documents that are submitted with a photocopy may not be taken into account when application is considered.

All applicants are requested to read the appropriate guidance concerning the requirements for their proposed visit to the UK.

Please ensure all supporting documents are complete at the time you submit your application. Failure to supply any of the above may result in a refusal. You should submit any other documentation you think would support your application. All documents should be submitted in English, or with a certified English translation.

All supporting documents must be submitted by the applicant. The High Commission does not accept any supporting documents faxed or sent directly to the High Commission and cannot take any responsibility for the loss of documents sent directly to the High Commission.

The visa section carries out regular document checks. We will refuse your application if we find that any supporting documents are forged.

You will also be asked to provide your fingerscans. Please note that applicants under 5 years old are exempt from providing their fingerscans.

In line with international practice, when children under 18 years are travelling alone or with only one parent, we require a 'no objection letter' from the parent(s) who is not travelling, giving permission for the child to be taken abroad.