Understanding UK visa success and rejection rates by country helps applicants assess their chances and prepare stronger applications. This comprehensive guide analyses the latest Home Office statistics for the year ending September 2025, covering visitor, student, spouse, work, and settlement visas with detailed breakdowns for India, Pakistan, Nepal, Uganda, and other nationalities. Whether you're applying for a tourist visa or seeking Indefinite Leave to Remain, these statistics provide valuable insights into current approval trends and common refusal patterns.
UK Visa Success Rate 2025: Overview of Approval and Rejection Rates
In the year ending September 2025, the UK granted over 3.09 million entry clearance visas, representing a 4% decrease from the previous year. Work visas achieve the highest approval rates at 90-98%, followed by student visas at 88-96%. Visitor visas have a 77% success rate, while family visas show approximately 80-86% approval depending on nationality.
According to the Official Home Office Immigration Statistics published in November 2025, the UK immigration system processed significant volumes across all categories. The year saw 2.2 million visitor visas granted, 175,000 work visas to main applicants (27% fewer than the previous year), and notable shifts in study visa patterns following policy changes restricting dependants.
What is the UK Visa Rejection Rate by Country in 2025?
UK visa rejection rates in 2025 vary dramatically by country, ranging from under 1% for UAE and Omani nationals to over 40% for applicants from Algeria, Ghana, and Bangladesh. Visitor visa data shows Algeria at 45.5% refusal, Ghana at 42.6%, and Bangladesh at 40.4%, while UAE achieves 99.4% approval. Work and student visa refusal rates are generally much lower across all nationalities.
The UK visa approval rate by country reflects multiple factors including historical compliance patterns, economic ties with the UK, and application quality. While the Home Office assesses each application individually, 2025 data reveals consistent patterns across nationalities that inform preparation strategies.
The table above shows the UK visa refusal rate by country for visitor visa applications in 2025. Applicants from high-refusal countries should focus on demonstrating strong ties to their home country, clear financial evidence, and a genuine temporary purpose for visiting the UK.
What is the UK Visitor Visa Success Rate in 2025?
The UK visitor visa success rate in 2025 stands at approximately 77%, with 2.2 million visitor visas granted in the year ending September 2025. This represents a 23% overall refusal rate, though success varies significantly by nationality—from 99.4% for UAE applicants to just 54.5% for Algerian nationals.
The UK Standard Visitor Visa remains the most commonly applied-for visa category. The introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme from January 2025 has added new requirements for many nationalities, with 19.6 million ETAs issued since the scheme launched in October 2023 through September 2025.
UK Tourist Visa Approval Rate for Indians 2025
Indian nationals continue to represent one of the largest applicant groups for UK visitor visas. The UK tourist visa success rate for India in 2025 is approximately 91.3%, with a refusal rate of around 8.7%. India remains the second-largest source of UK visitor visa applications, with strong approval rates reflecting the established travel patterns between the two countries.
UK Visitor Visa Refusal Rate Uganda 2025
Ugandan applicants face a visitor visa refusal rate of approximately 33-35% in 2025, placing Uganda among the higher-refusal African nations. Applicants should focus on demonstrating strong economic ties, clear employment evidence, and compelling reasons for returning home after their visit.
UK Visit Visa Success Rate Pakistan 2025
Pakistani nationals continue to face one of the higher visitor visa refusal rates at approximately 37-40%. According to 2025 data, Pakistan remains among the highest-refusal nationalities, with applicants paying significant fees for rejected applications. Comprehensive financial documentation and clear evidence of ties to Pakistan are essential for successful applications.
UK Visitor Visa Success Rate by Other Countries 2025
Several nationalities show distinct patterns in 2025 visitor visa outcomes. Thai nationals enjoy success rates above 95%, while Turkish applicants achieve approximately 90-93%. Sri Lankan applicants see improving rates, while Philippine nationals maintain approximately 90% approval.
- Provide 6 months of bank statements showing regular income and stable balance
- Include employment letter with salary confirmation and approved leave dates
- Show property ownership or long-term rental agreements in home country
- Document family ties remaining in home country (spouse, children, parents)
- Provide clear itinerary with accommodation bookings and return travel plans
- Check ETA requirements if applicable from January 2025
What is the UK Student Visa Rejection Rate in 2025?
The UK student visa rejection rate in 2025 averages 12% overall, with Q1 2025 showing an 88% grant rate consistent with Q1 2024. However, rates vary significantly by nationality: Indian students achieve 96% approval (up 5 percentage points), Nigerian students 96% (up 7 points), while Pakistani students see 74% (down 8 points) and Bangladeshi students just 63% (down 15 points).
The UK Student Visa saw 403,000 grants in the year ending March 2025, representing a 10% decrease from the previous year. Notably, dependant grants dropped by 83% following January 2024 policy changes restricting most postgraduate taught students from bringing family members. Chinese nationals now comprise 25% of sponsored international students, followed by Indian nationals at 23%.
UK Student Visa Success Rate India 2025
Indian students achieved a 96% grant rate in Q1 2025, up 5 percentage points year-on-year, making India one of the strongest performing nationalities for UK student visas. This improvement reflects better application quality and the established pipeline between Indian students and UK universities, particularly in technology, business, and healthcare programmes.
UK Student Visa Refusal Rate Pakistan 2025
Pakistani students face a significantly higher student visa refusal rate of 26% in 2025, with a grant rate of only 74%—down 8 percentage points from the previous year. This elevated rate reflects increased scrutiny of financial documentation and the Genuine Student Test. Pakistani applicants should ensure comprehensive financial evidence, clear academic progression rationale, and well-documented career plans.
UK Student Visa Acceptance Rate Nepal 2025
Nepalese students saw their grant rate fall to 84% in Q1 2025, down 14 percentage points year-on-year. This represents one of the steeper declines among major source countries, indicating increased scrutiny from the Home Office. Applicants from Nepal should focus particularly on demonstrating clear academic progression and strong ties to home.
What is the UK Spouse Visa Rejection Rate in 2025?
The UK spouse visa rejection rate in 2025 ranges from 14-20%, with 67,537 family visas granted in the year ending June 2025. Applications decreased by 14% following the April 2024 increase in the Minimum Income Requirement from £18,600 to £29,000, with further increases planned to £38,700. The UK spouse visa success rate remains approximately 80-86% for well-prepared applications.
The financial requirements for spouse visas represent the most common cause of refusal in 2025. The increased income threshold has significantly impacted application volumes, though success rates for those who meet the requirements remain strong. Family-related settlement grants increased 17% to 45,170 in the year ending June 2025, indicating successful progression for established applicants.
For detailed guidance on handling spouse visa refusal reasons and the appeal process, applicants should understand their options including administrative review or reapplication with stronger financial evidence.
What is the UK Work Visa Success Rate in 2025?
The UK work visa success rate in 2025 remains high at 90-98% for sponsored routes, though volumes have dropped significantly. In the year ending September 2025, 175,000 work visas were granted to main applicants—27% fewer than the previous year. The Skilled Worker visa maintains approximately 98% approval, while Health and Care Worker visas dropped 89% to just 17,000 grants.
The dramatic reduction in work visa grants reflects major policy changes implemented in April 2024, including the increase in the minimum salary threshold from £26,200 to £38,700 for Skilled Workers. The Health and Care Worker route saw the steepest decline following restrictions on care workers bringing dependants and increased compliance scrutiny on sponsors in the social care sector. Many care providers lost their sponsor licences following Home Office audits.
India remains the largest source of UK work visa applicants, with over 53,000 Worker visa applications and a robust 90% grant rate. The sponsorship requirements continue to effectively pre-qualify applications, maintaining high approval rates for those meeting the new salary thresholds.
What is the ILR Success and Refusal Rate in 2025?
The ILR success rate in 2025 remains strong, with 163,353 people granted settlement in the year ending June 2025—an 18% increase from the previous year. Work-related settlement grants increased 19%, family route grants rose 17%, and humanitarian/refugee settlement increased 17%. The ILR refusal rate continues to average 4-6% for well-prepared applications.
The surge in Indefinite Leave to Remain grants reflects the progression of workers who arrived during the post-pandemic visa expansion now completing their qualifying periods. The high approval rate reflects that applicants have typically demonstrated 5+ years of compliance with immigration requirements.
For detailed guidance on ILR requirements, see our guides on ILR application forms, ILR processing times, and the naturalisation requirements that follow settlement. British citizenship was granted to 256,864 people in 2025, a 4% increase from the previous year.
- 3.09 million visas granted in year ending September 2025 (4% decrease)
- Visitor visas: 77% approval rate, 2.2 million granted
- Work visas down 27% but maintain 90-98% approval for those meeting new thresholds
- Student visa dependants dropped 83% following policy changes
- Settlement grants up 18% as post-pandemic arrivals complete qualifying periods
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall UK visa success rate in 2025?
In the year ending September 2025, the UK granted over 3.09 million entry clearance visas, a 4% decrease from the previous year. Overall success rates remain strong: work visas achieve 90-98% approval, student visas 88-96%, and visitor visas 77%. The decrease in volumes is driven by policy changes rather than increased refusals.
Which country has the highest UK visa rejection rate in 2025?
Algeria has the highest UK visitor visa refusal rate at 45.5% in 2025, followed by Ghana at 42.6% and Bangladesh at 40.4%. Pakistan sees approximately 37-40% refusal and Nigeria 32.2%. In contrast, UAE achieves 99.4% approval, Oman 98.2%, and China 96.9%.
What is the UK tourist visa approval rate for Indians in 2025?
The UK tourist visa success rate for Indian nationals is approximately 91.3% in 2025, with a refusal rate of around 8.7%. For student visas, Indian applicants achieve an even higher 96% grant rate—up 5 percentage points year-on-year, making India one of the strongest performing nationalities.
What is the UK student visa rejection rate by country in 2025?
UK student visa grant rates in Q1 2025 vary significantly: India 96%, Nigeria 96%, Sri Lanka 91%, Ghana 88%, Nepal 84%, Pakistan 74%, and Bangladesh 63%. Bangladesh and Nepal saw the steepest declines (15 and 14 percentage points respectively), while Nigeria and Sri Lanka improved significantly.
What is the ILR refusal rate in 2025?
The ILR refusal rate averages 4-6% in 2025, with 163,353 people granted settlement in the year ending June 2025—an 18% increase. Main refusal reasons include breaching continuous residence (180+ days absence), failing the Life in the UK test, or insufficient English language evidence. Work-related settlement grants increased 19%.
What is the UK spouse visa rejection rate in 2025?
The UK spouse visa rejection rate is approximately 14-20% in 2025, with 67,537 family visas granted in the year ending June 2025. Applications dropped 14% following the Minimum Income Requirement increase from £18,600 to £29,000 in April 2024. Family-related settlement grants increased 17%, indicating strong progression for established applicants.
What is the UK Skilled Worker visa success rate in 2025?
The UK Skilled Worker visa success rate remains high at approximately 98% for those meeting the new requirements. However, volumes dropped 38% following the April 2024 salary threshold increase from £26,200 to £38,700. Health and Care Worker visas fell 89% to just 17,000 grants. Indian applicants maintain a strong 90% grant rate for Worker visas.
How can I improve my UK visa success rate in 2025?
To improve your UK visa success rate in 2025: provide comprehensive financial documentation with 6+ months of bank statements showing stable funds; include strong evidence of ties to your home country (employment, property, family); submit clear travel or study plans; ensure all documents are professionally translated if needed; check new ETA requirements effective January 2025; and consider seeking guidance from immigration solicitors for complex cases or high-refusal nationalities.
For the most up-to-date statistics, applicants should consult the Home Office Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release. These official figures are updated quarterly and provide the most accurate picture of current approval and refusal rates across all visa categories. For guidance on specific visa applications, see our comprehensive guides on UK visa refusal reasons and the chances of getting a visa after refusal.