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British Diplomatic mission in the United States. On this page you will find info on specific details such as consulate contact information, web presence, consular office hours and directions to the consulate. The consulate in New York is not the only diplomatic representation of the United Kingdom in the United States. On this page you can also find all other British consulates located in the United States.

British consulates in the united states.

The British Consulate in New York is not the only British consular office in the region. For your convenience we also listed below all other consulates of the United Kingdom located in the United States. A British consulate can be found in the city of: Anchorage , Atlanta , Boston , Chicago , Denver , Houston , Kansas City , Los Angeles , Miami , Minneapolis , Nashville , New Orleans , New York , Orlando , Philadelphia , Phoenix , Pittsburgh , Salt Lake City , San Diego , San Francisco , San Jose and St Louis

Keep in mind that a consulate can have more or less or different consular services.

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The Consulate of the United Kingdom in New York could have adjusted its services due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

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3 select the visa type you would like to see fees for, standard visitor visa - for uk, isle of man, jersey and guernsey, short-term study visa, parents of children at school, child visitors.

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Any experience with VFS Global (UK visitor's visa)? - London Forum

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Any experience with VFS Global (UK visitor's visa)?

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Has anyone here applied for a UK visitor's visa and dealt with VFS Global? Any idea how long it takes and any way to know what's going on?

I'm having a lousy experience so far with VFS Global. (People of the UK, you may want to look into how visa's to your country are processed...)

We've applied for a visitor's visa for my wife, who is not a U.S citizen and requires a visa. We've sent the materials into VFS Global (as we are required to), but it'll soon be three weeks and I haven't heard a word from them. Not even a confirmation that the materials arrived.

This would generally be annoying, but that fact that they have my wife's passport is causing us some stress.

What makes it worse is that their entire system is suspect - web pages that don't work, services that are paid for and do not work (e.g. paying for a shipping label and getting a blank one), slow or unresponsive support, and apparently support that is in an entirely different country and has no operating knowledge of what's going on.

In short, it feels like we dumped her passport into a black hole and crossing our fingers that it comes back at some undetermined future point in time.

Any wisdom on this process that anyone can share?

Anyway, enough venting for the moment.

Haven't dealt with them for a long time but my wife's family (from Ukraine) use a different Handling company TLS Contact. On average we waited 3 weeks for a reply.

When you applied on line were you given a reference number maybe a GWF? If so have you tried tracking your application.

Does sound like poor communication which is not the case with TLS

I did get a GWF number, so I've got that. But the UK no longer allows you to track the application online.

As I understand it, materials go to a "scanning hub" in New York run by VFS Global. They scan the documents to the UK, the decision gets made there, a response sent, a visa applied to the passport (or not) by VFS, and then sent back.

The problem is (as far as I can tell), until VFS Global scans the materials, the UK government is largely in the dark about the application. Though, I guess they do have the basic electronic application, though none of the supporting documents or passport...

And yes, the communication has not been good. The number of people who are frustrated with VFS Global is amazing. Among the worst online reviews I've seen for any company.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Will hold my breath and hope it all goes well

I thought I'd give an update, mostly so that others who may be facing similar issues can find this in a future Google search. I'm going to add a bunch of information here, just because it's something that would have benefited me.

Again, this applies for a person residing in the United States that needs/applies for a UK visa.

Here's what happened:

As far as I can tell, the process from the U.S. involves four different groups that work with each other. This is what I've inferred and not necessarily accurate. Here are the four players:

1. The UK government (visa services) located in the UK. This is who actually reviews and grants visas. They are actually in the UK, so no review is occurring in the USA. Nor do you have any access to them, by phone, email, or otherwise. They are effectively a black box from the applicant's perspective.

2. Sitel UK. They are a private company (again, I think) contracted by the UK government to handle customer inquiries. They are located in the UK and can be accessed by email and telephone - for a fee. See my comments on dealing with them below.

3. VFS Global. This is an international company that works with a ton of countries handling visa issuance. They have a "scanning hub" in NYC. I believe that they take in your visa and paperwork and scan it to the UK home office. They hold the passport and then apply the visa to it (or not) and send it back to you.

4. US Citizenship and Immigration Service. Yes, they are involved too. (Part of the reason this gets convoluted is because so many people are involved....)

Here's how that process worked for us, good, bad, and ugly (and there is some of each).

We first did the application online and paid our fee. That application, I believe, goes directly to the UK government. You are issued a GWF number. That's your official UK government approved number. Having this made me feel better, because despite the lack of clear communication elsewhere, I assume that paying money to the UK government and being assigned a number means that someone pretty official is on the line for actually getting things taken care of.

I had a question during the application process, so went ahead and paid to get email support. Even though this is handled through the UK government website, based on what I’ve read, I think the support is actually provided by a subcontractor - Sitel UK. That didn’t go so well. The email replies were terse and unhelpful. They warn you that they cannot tell you information about your specific application. I get that, but they were still very unhelpful. For instance, my question was more of a general “what’s expected of applicants” kind of question. I emailed with a follow up question and that response was no more helpful. I was not anxious to deal with them again (but see below!)

After that, we had to go to a U.S. government immigration center to do the biometrics (fingerprints, photos). We set up the appointment through the UK visa page. We had no problems at all with the process or with USCIS. The appointment was super easy to do through the UK website and everything was easy peasy at the USCIS center. Prompt appointment, no issues. Of course, you have to actually get to a USCIS center. The closest for us was about an hour away from our home. I believe the biometrics also go directly to the UK government.

OK, so far so good. But here's where things get a bit dicey. The next step is sending your passport and supporting documents to the VFS Global "Scanning Hub" in New York. No documents are attached to the online application – you have to send all of those in. I believe VFS Global acts sort of like the local service provider for the UK government. They take in the passport and documents, scan them to the UK, then apply the visa (or not) to your passport and return it to you.

But there are several things that cause stress here.

1. Their website services are… not good. For example, everything in this process seems to suggest that the right way to get your documents to the scanning hub is to buy the courier service through the VFS Global website. OK. So I go and pay for that. I then get multiple emails telling me that the labels are attached. But they aren’t. I logged into the website and pressed the button to have them resent. More emails with no labels. I go back to the website and select the “download labels” option. Server error. And it has stayed like this for weeks. No improvement. As you can imagine, this is frustrating.

2. There's almost no way to really communicate with them efficiently. They have no telephone number. Emails appear to go to a service center in India. I'm not 100% sure of that, but that's what seems to be happening (again, based on some research and on the time of day when they respond). As a result, if you have an issue, you tend to get broad, nonspecific answers to questions rather than help that actually pertains to your specific problem.

3. Sometimes you get a reply to your email, sometimes you don’t. You can send support emails and have them simply go off into space. When I emailed about the problem with the shipping labels, I got an email back a day or so later saying that they would contact the proper team to fix the problem and get back to me. That was 2-3 weeks ago. No word.

Luckily, I found online that you can send the documents to them via UPS on your own as long as you include a return label. Check online for this, but I believe it *has to be* UPS 2-day air both directions. That’s what we ended up doing, and (as I’ll explain below), at the very least it got the materials to them and processed. It’s important to include the return label right in the package (which I asked for right at the UPS Store so there was no confusion about the amount, etc.).

I still haven’t requested a refund for the initial courier service – the last thing I want to do at this point is confuse things. I’ll request that later.

The point is, when you’re about to travel, it’s scary to send your passport off to a distant location without great communication options. It’s a lot of waiting around and hoping it all works out.

And another mystery is the timing of everything. The UK Visa website gives approximate processing times. They show that 80% or so of visa decisions are made within 2 days. After two weeks and not having heard a word from them, we were getting worried that the passport and materials were lost somewhere in the bowels of the VFS scanning hub.

I broke down and paid to talk with Sitel again, this time by phone. Totally different experience than the email option. The gentlemen on the phone was courteous and helpful. He was able to actually look up my GWF number, which means – third party provider or not – they have access to the UK government’s information. He told me that our case had, in fact, been processed. About a day later, we finally received confirmation directly from the UK government that the visa had been decided. That appears to be standard procedure – a UK government email once a decision is reached. It also told us that we would be receiving our passport back from the service provider (presumably VFS global) promptly. Here’s the wording they used: “Your UK visa application has been dispatched from the UK Visa Section.” It then goes on to describe some details about how to get your passport or have it returned. Since we had already included a shipping label, we had to just wait. Unlike some other visas we’ve secured, the UK *does not* tell you if it was approved or rejected in that email. Don’t read anything into the language.

That was the middle of last week. I didn’t get a word, peep, or sign from VFS Global or anyone else. I hoped that everything was fine. It’s just very frustrating to feel like there’s no way to track or know what’s going on. After a few more days (maybe 4 or 5) I noticed that the UPS shipping label had been used, and I could track the process.

We just received the passport back today (along with our supporting documents) and received a visa. (Yay!)

It’ll be just under a month total time from biometrics to receiving the visa.

As for the timing, everything was completed within the UK’s promised time frame. Still, our case should have been really, really easy. Nothing unusual, hard, or shady about us at all. I’m guessing – and this is just a guess – that the listed processing times are for the UK portion of this (i.e. not including time VFS Global takes to scan the materials or return them). If that’s true, then don’t assume the average listed times is actually how fast the process will be for you from start to finish. YMMV.

Though it was a fairly opaque process with lots of moving parts, ultimately everyone did their job as promised and we got the passport (with visa) back in just under a month. Though it was the longest and most complex visa process I’ve been through, ultimately everyone did what they had to do and the process worked, despite a few glitches along the way. My experience suggests that everything works out as it should in the end, but don’t expect it to be an easy or speedy process….

I hope this long post will help alleviate some of the stress and uncertainty for a future visa applicant.

I sent passport and supported documents to New York and then a week later received documents back but not passport. Its normal?

>>>The UK Visa website gives approximate processing times. They show that 80% or so of visa decisions are made within 2 days.<<<

I don’t know where you got that information from or whether it specifically referenced your own situation, but (without comment about the proactivity of VFS Global) that timing looks unrealistically optimistic. You mentioned New York, so I assume that’s the application centre you actually used. The Home Office provides a guide to visa processing times for each application centre based on real information from last reported month. You can run a check at the link below and if you select New York/Visit Visa/General Visit (6 months or less) it gives you the following percentage breakdowns of the time taken for “applications decided” in May 2019 as follows:

2 days: 34%

3 days: 39%

5 days: 50%

10 days: 73%

15 days: 87%

30 days: 99%

60 days: 100%

You can access it here:

https://www.gov.uk/visa-processing-times

Post #5: yes that sounds normal. See above for likely decision times from the New York centre.

Wow, what a palaver! I'm not sure I would bother, it's not that great over here lol!

agree. I help family and friends regularly to get a Visa to visit UK and it is a long winded form that can take a time.

Beats me why they ask "Have you ever been involved in terrorist activities" Don't know anyone who has answered "yes".There is a whole section on questions that to me are senseless

I guess they have to ask these sorts of questions,but for me it is dated.

On the Ukraine forum there is a guy from the UK who is extremely helpful and well into training as an Immigration lawyer and it's his opinion that the UK Government are trying to cut down on applicants for Visas (his opinion I stress)

@taurean, although it amounts to the same thing, my perception is that it's more about raising the bar to the extent that it discourages spurious applications from "no-hopers" whose motives or financial circumstances are suspicious.

If you look at the rejection rates for visa applications, there have been ridiculously high numbers of rejections relating to people who should never have wasted the time of Immigration by bothering to apply in the first place. I won't name the countries here, but if you look at the breakdown by country then it's clear that there are a few countries who are head and shoulders above everyone else in terms of rejection percentages. It would be unacceptable (and probably illegal) to single out individuals from those countries for "special treatment", so the consequence is that everyone gets tarred with the same brush as it were.

Thank you SO much for your thorough and very detailed information. I simply wanted to get the "UPS return shipping label" as directed but faced the "upload documents" portion of the vfs website and felt uncomfortable with the whole thing. I think I will go to the UPS Store and get the 2-day label on my own. I really appreciate the time it took for you to put all that together. Saved me a lot of time and energy!

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United Kingdom Tourist Visa New York

Non-US Citizens: Get your United Kingdom Tourist visa with the TDS New York Office

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Learn more about the government fees, entry, and validity options for United Kingdom Tourist Visas

What steps are involved in getting my United Kingdom Tourist Visa from TDS?

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Document Requirements

These requirements are applicable for Non-US Citizens applying for a United Kingdom Tourist visa in New York

Please send TDS your current valid and signed passport. It must not expire within 6 months and must have at least one blank visa page. Foreign Embassies cannot issue a visa on a page not labeled as a Visa page. Amendment and Endorsement pages in the back of the passport cannot be used for issuance of a visa. A visa cannot be stamped on a page even if only one Small Stamp is on the visa page. If your passport expires within 6 months, you must renew your passport and then we will secure your visa with the new passport. In addition please include any previous passports held as evidence of travel history.

Please send 1 recent professional passport-type photograph. Digital and non-passport photographs are not acceptable. Passport Photo Guide - Click Here

TravelDocs DIY Digital Photo Service

The Government of United Kingdom has extremely strict visa photo requirements — do not allow your visa application to be delayed due to an incorrectly formatted visa photo.

Use the TravelDocs digital visa photo service, snap a selfie using your camera, cell phone or tablet, and we will return a perfectly formatted visa photo by email within 1 business day.

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Proof of US Status

Original Alien Registration Card (Green Card) -or- Original U.S Visa (If the U.S Visa is in an expired passport then the expired passport has to be submitted with the current passport)

Proof of Departure

Please send a copy of your round trip airline tickets, or itinerary or e-ticket, or letter of confirmation from a travel agent. The itinerary must show the applicant's name, date of arrival and departure from the country, and flight information. The Embassy does not recommend purchasing your ticket prior to a visa being issued.

Employment Letter

Original Letter of Employment stating that the applicant is an employee of the company and is in good standing. The letter must indicate the dates for which leave was approved and the intended date of return to the company.

If you are visiting a friend or relative a Letter of Invitation is required from the host explaining the relationship to the applicant and the purpose of travel. The invitation letter must also include the Length of Stay, Place of Stay and contact information. A copy of the hosts British passport, (or British visa if the host is not a British citizen) must be attached.

Hotel Confirmation

A copy of your hotel confirmation(s) is required. A letter from inviting family member or friend is required if they are providing accommodations to the applicant.

Financial Requirements

Evidence of sufficient funds to support stay in United Kingdom is required. An original letter of employment stating that the applicant is employed of the company and in good standing. The letter must indicate the length of employment with the company, salary that the applicant is being paid, dates for which leave was approved and the date the applicant will be returning to the company. Three most recent months of bank statements and a recent pay stub, both must be originals, scans and photocopies will not be accepted. If someone other than the applicant is paying expenses: If the applicants host is paying expenses please provide the hosts current bank statement and an employment letter. If the applicants parent(s) are paying expenses please provide the parent(s) current bank statement , employment letter and a copy of the applicants birth certificate.

Special Instructions

Travel Document Systems can submit United Kingdom visa applications for priority service 10+ business day processing only.

This requires an Additional priority service processing fee (determined by nationality) payable to the UK government that must be paid online directly through the VFS Global website. This "Priority Processing Fee" is in addition to the visa fee paid directly on the visa application form. Click here to enter  VFS Global   visa application payment website, select the United States as the country of residence and your visa category.

The payment receipt from VFS Global must be included with the visa application materials.

Your visa application form (below) must be completed prior to processing the Priority processing fee.

Applications submitted directly to the UK government for a visa process without priority service take on average 20+ business days to be issued.

This Priority Processing Fee is required for traveldocs to be able to assist you, however it does not guarantee 10+ business processing as the UK consulate reserves the right to take additional time at their discretion.

Application Form

The Consulate of the United Kingdom has introduced a web based visa application form. Complete and sign one visa application form.  Applicants must follow the step by step instructions and pay visa fees online.

Once you have completed your visa application on GOV.UK, you will need to select whether you want to attend one of our  Premium Application Centers   or Temporary Enrolment Locations  to provide your biometric information (fingerprints and photograph). To attend a VFS Global Premium Application Centre, you will need to purchase a Bronze Package.

Please note : once you have selected the type of center to attend for your biometric appointment on GOV.UK, you will not be able to alter your selection without cancelling your application and starting a new one.

After selecting the type of center you wish to attend, you will directed to the VFS Global website to  https://visa.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/gbr/your-appointment The visa application must be submitted no earlier than 24-36 hours after and no later than 2 weeks after biometric submission. Please send the visa application and supporting documents to Travel Document Systems New York office for expedited processing.

Biometric Information

Document pre-check.

Shipping Instructions

Local Phone Number: 212-647-1122

Urgent applications for a United Kingdom Tourist visa should be shipped to TDS using only the FedEx Company.

Please use FedEx Priority Overnight. Do NOT ship "First Overnight." This will delay the delivery of your package.

Return Shipping Fees

Once your order is complete, your Passport with the visa sticker/stamp will be returned to you via FedEx Overnight.

Consular Fees, Entry, and Validity Options

These are the fees charged by the foreign government for issuing a visa. Fees are per person per visa.

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UK Visa Application Center in New York

If you need paid support with the uk visa application process and/or consultation on the documents, you can order such service with our visa agency ., contact us today if you need help with a uk visa application, what is visa application center.

UK Visa Application Center is a collection point for your documents and to take biometrics (e.g. fingerprints). The UK Visa Application Center transfers your documents to the UK Embassy in United States together with your biometric data.

Risk Assessment

To understand your unique situation, we’ll start by studying your case to discover your chances of being accepted for a UK visa

Professional support

Since 2006, we’ve been successfully securing UK visas for people, just like you! While we don’t know much about visas to other countries, we’re experts in everything surrounding UK visas. After all, we deal with dozens of applications every day. So, yes, we know them inside out.

Documents and samples

We give you the list of all documents and samples needed. This way you know just what to expect. We’ll then check to guarantee if the documents meet the official requirements or not.

Online forms

Forget filling in confusing application forms. It contains a minimum of 100-150 questions and you should be very careful answering them. If you choose our agency to help you with the application, our specialists will be happy to fill in the application form for you .

Book an appointment

We will book an appointment at the UK Visa Application Centre for you at convinient date and time. Just head to the appointment, make photo for visa and submit your fingerprints. And, you’re ready to go!

Upload docs to the Embassy

We organize and upload all your supporting documents directly to the British Embassy. So, you need only passport on appointment.

If you dream of securing a UK visa, contact us now ! We specialise in complex cases and refusals. No matter what your situation is, we can help you.

In United States you can get help with your UK visa application in:

• Atlanta (100 Peachtree Street NW, Suite # 225, Atlanta, GA 30303 )
• Boston (160 Federal Street, Suite #1700 , Boston , MA 02110 )
• Chicago (142 East Ontario St, Suite# 1700, Chicago, IL 60611 )
• Houston (2425 West Loop S Suite 330 Houston, TX 77027 )
• Los Angeles (8530 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 420, Beverly Hills, CA, 90211, USA )
• Miami (2655 S Le Jeune Road, Penthouse 1A, Coral Gables, FL 33134 )
• New York (145 West 45th St, Fl 5, New York NY 10036 )
• San Francisco (110 Sutter Street, 5th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104 )
• Seattle (2033 6th Ave, Suite 993, Seattle, WA 98121 )
• Washington (2033 6th Ave, Suite 993, Seattle, WA 98121 )

Our team works exclusively remotely. However, if you would like to get help at an office, feel free to stop by at one of the locations above. Please note: there is no phone you can call for an Application centre to assist you over the phone. You will have to come in person to speak with a staff member.

Anyway, you can always contact our immigration specialists in United States for online help with UK visas

You're not in United States? Select the country where you are now.

We help with all types of UK visas!

• Tourism / family visits
• Students visas
• Business visas
• Join family
• After refusal
• for tourism purposes
• to visit family or friends
• for child accompanied visits
• for study up to 6 months

You can usually stay in the UK for up to 6 months. If you need to visit the UK regularly over a longer period, you can apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa that lasts 2, 5 or 10 years.

If you are planning to take a short course of study in the UK, such as English language course, training course, part of an overseas course, a short period of research, medical, veterinary or dentistry electives, you should apply for a Short-term study visa . You can study for up to 6 months (or up to 11 months if you are studying an English language course)

If you are planning to take a full-time below degree or a degree level course of study in the UK school, college or university, you should apply for a Student visa (ex. Tier 4 General). There are some specific requirements for your course, money you need, your knowledge of English and documents you will need to apply for visa.

You can apply for a Business Visa if you want to visit the UK for any of the following reason:

• for exhibitions, conferences meetings and any visits where you have an official invitation
• for sport and entertainment events
• for medical treatment
• for an academic research

You can usually stay in the UK for up to 6 months (or up to 12 months if you are applying for an academic visit ). If you need to visit the UK regularly over a longer period, you can apply for a long-term Business visa that lasts 2, 5 or 10 years.

• Fiancee visa (or Settlement Marriage visa) - the applicant to come to the UK for up to 6 months, register a marriage and apply for a Settlement Spouse visa within the UK.
• Spouse visa - If you have already registered your marriage to a UK national you can apply for a Spouse visa, which is issued for 2.5 years and includes the right to work. It can be extended once in the UK and lead to an ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) and UK citizenship.
• EEA Family Permit / EU Settlement Scheme family permit - if your spouse is living and working in the UK and is an EU national but does not have UK citizenship.
• Unmarried partners visa - if you are not married officially to a UK national but have lived together for two years.
• Same-sex partners visa - If you are same-sex partners, have already registered your marriage to a UK national or for unmarried partners, if you have lived together for two years.
• Dependant child visa (or Settlement Child visa) - if you want to bring your dependant child to the UK.
• General work visa (Tier 2) can be applied for if the applicant has been offered a skilled job in the UK.
• Temporary Worker visa (Tier 5) - includes Charity Worker visa, Creative and Sporting visa, Government Authorised Exchange visa, International Agreement visa, Religious Worker visa, Seasonal Worker visa, Youth Mobility Scheme visa.
• Permitted Paid Engagement visa - if you are invited to the UK as an expert in your profession for up to 1 month.

If you have been refused a visa, don’t worry! It is possible to get Visa after refusal. Our agency will help you to understand the reasons for the refusal and helps to prepare convincing grounds for appeal.

Added Value Services with UK Visa Application Center in New York

You can book and pay some Added Value Services if needed:

Phone support.

Our commercial agency specialises in paid UK visa consulting services .

You shouldn't call us if you:

• would like to know opening hours or address of TLSContact or VFSGlobal application centre in your home country, make online enquiry instead.
• want to track your UK visa application or passport status
• need help after you have submitted your application/documents
• want to renew your passport

If you need help with getting UK visa , please describe in brief your situation and a purpose of your visit, in order we could provide you with a phone number of the relevant department.

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• Apr The Orchid Show
• Apr Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival
• May Walking tours on The High Line

Summer in New York

Summer in New York can be swelteringly hot compared to the UK, with an average high of 27°C. Lots of native New Yorkers flee the city in the summer break, leaving it relatively quiet. The best thing is, the city comes outdoors, with Shakespeare in the park, rooftop cinemas, and bars – try wandering around the Seaport District in the sun. If you’re staying indoors, restaurants, shops and museums crank up the air-conditioning, so pack a jacket.

• Jun Coney Island Mermaid Parade
• Jun NYC Pride March
• 04 Jul Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks
• Jul Nathan’s hot dog eating contest

Autumn in New York

As summer draws to a close, New York’s colours get more vivid – making autumn a beautiful time to visit the city. The weather may be cooling down, but you’ll still get blue skies and cool crisp days, making al fresco dining and activities possible, especially in late September and early October. From mid-October to November, the weather is harder to predict, so make sure you pack a combination of warm and cold weather clothing so that you can pile or shed accordingly.

• Sep New York Fashion Week
• Oct New York Comic Con
• Oct Open House New York
• 31 Oct Village Halloween Parade
• Nov Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

Winter in New York

Winter really is the most wonderful time of the year in New York. With its magical snow-covered parks, outdoor ice skating rinks and twinkling Christmas displays, the city truly comes into its own. But, it’s cold – snowy weather cold. The coldest month is January, when New York gets around 10 snowy days. You’ll need to get your head around Fahrenheit – when New Yorkers say it’s in the low forties – that’s your cue to don your winter coat.

• Dec NYC Christmas Markets
• 31 Dec Times Square New Year's Eve
• Jan Winter Jazzfest
• Jan Central Park Winter Jam
• Feb Black History Month

Meet our NYC insiders

If you’re looking for top tips for things to do in new york, the best places to stay, where to grab the best bites, or spaces to escape the crowds, who better to ask than a local new yorker.

So we’ve done just that, and got the lowdown from people in-the-know, covering all aspects of city life, from architecture and shopping, to must-see sights and where to go for a little luxury. Discover your own New York with a little help from our friends and their New York City secrets.

Exploring the curious with Jess Parr

Jess Parr, prolific blogger and BA cabin crew goes kayaking on the Hudson river, sips cocktails on a Brooklyn rooftop and brunches in the East Village.

Exploring secret spaces with Lyn Slater

University professor and fashion icon Lyn Slater explores secret gardens in Central Park, gives the lowdown on New York’s independent bookstores and reveals the best place to get dessert in the city.

An architects perspective with Vishaan Chakrabarti

Author and architect Vishaan Chakrabarti talks design wonders of New York including the Guggenheim, the High Line and Madison Square Garden.

A local guide with Dan Rookwood

US Editor of Mr Porter, Dan Rookwood explores street food with his family, New York’s green spaces and where to go on date night.

New York visa and entry requirements

If you’re a citizen of a country covered by the Visa Waiver Programme (such as the UK), you will need to have a valid e-Passport along with an approved ESTA  to enter the USA. You can identify an e-Passport by the ‘chip’ symbol on the front cover.

You can apply for an ESTA online  and should receive approval straight away, although we recommend applying at least 72 hours before departure, in case any travel authorisation is denied. An ESTA is valid for multiple journeys and lasts for two years, or until your passport expires.

You will no longer be able to enter the US using an ESTA if you have dual nationality with one passport being issued by a country eligible under the Visa Waiver Programme and the other issued by Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria.

UK citizens can also fast track US passport control by joining Global Entry, the US Customs and Border Protection programme . Membership lasts for five years and the application process includes background checks and a face-to-face interview at an official enrolment centre.

Remember, it’s your responsibility to ensure that you have the right documents to be allowed entry into the USA when flying into New York .

Getting around

Taxis in New York

You’ll be able to spot the iconic New York taxis all over the city thanks to their distinctive yellow colour. Hailing a yellow cab couldn’t be easier – simply stick your arm out to flag it down and if the numbers on the roof of the cab are lit, it’s available. Taxis are required by law to take to your destination inside the metropolitan area. Pay only what’s on the metre – you can pay by cash or credit card. And don’t forget to tip 10 to 15 per cent for gratuity.

Subway and buses

With the right know-how, New York’s subways and buses make getting around the city easy and affordable. Depending on the duration of your stay, you can opt for either a Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard, where you can buy as many rides as you want from $5.50 to $80 (at $2.75 per subway ride), or you can opt for the Unlimited Ride Metrocard ($32), which gives you access to an unlimited number of subway and bus rides for seven days. Most subway lines run north to south and bus lines in Manhattan goes east to west. Fun fact: the subway stops with green globes at the entrances indicate that the station is open 24 hours.

Walking and cycling

The best way to see New York City is on foot. You’ll be able to explore at your own pace and hit all the major sights, starting from Brooklyn Bridge all the way up to the American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side. If walking all over the city sounds like too much legwork, you can grab two wheels and cycle the scenic route instead – the city has a growing network of bike lanes as well as the Citi Bike cycle sharing rental system.

Take to the water and see the city by ferry or boat, where you’ll experience the best of New York sightseeing without the crowds, and get from A to B with ease. Staten Island Ferry transports nearly 22 million people every year free of charge, and the 25-minute trip offers unparalleled views of the southern tip of Manhattan and Ellis Island. Or, if you’d like to see Lady Liberty in all her glory, take the Circle Line Liberty Cruise and set sail down Hudson River.

Airports in New York

Why not take the hassle out of your transfer and arrange it with us as part of your booking? We can arrange private sedan cars, SUVs, and Go Airlink van door-to-door transfers from the airport to your hotel. Simply select your preferred option when you book trip.

JFK International

When you land in New York, there are plenty of options for getting into the city and to your hotel. New York City taxis offer flat fares from JFK to Manhattan for $52.50 (excluding tolls, surcharges and tips) – this usually takes 30 to 60 minutes, depending on traffic. Alternatively, hop on the AirTrain ($5), which links to the subway ($2.75 per ride). You can also pre-book express buses to Grand Central or Port Authority for $16.

Newark Liberty International

Metered taxis are available from Newark to Manhattan, and can cost between $60 and $80 (excluding tolls, surcharges and tips) for a 45 minute to one-hour ride. You can also take the AirTrain ($5) to Newark Airport train station, and board a train to Penn Station for $12.50. Express buses are also available to Grand Central and Port Authority ($16).

Find our cheapest flights to New York

Tipping in New York

Tipping in new york isn’t just for good service..

Tipping is a part of the culture here, as many service industries such as hotels, restaurants, and transportation factor tips into their staff’s wages – but that doesn’t mean you have to go crazy with it. Our guide will help simplify who, when and how much to tip when you’re out and about in the city.

Tipping in restaurants

For most restaurants in New York, a tip between 18 and 20 per cent on the pre-tax total is standard. If you feel your service was exceptional, a tip of 22 per cent would be recommended. An easy way to calculate the tip is just to double the tax – which works out to be roughly 18 per cent. If you’re eating at a hotel restaurant or with a big group (usually six or more), the tip is sometimes already included in the bill as a service charge or gratuity – so check it carefully before leaving any additional money.

Tipping in bars

If you order a beer or wine, a $1-$2 tip per drink is typical. Even if you order a soft drink, a tip of about 50 cents per drink is expected. For cocktails, $2-$3 should suffice, although if you’re drinking in an upscale bar, where bartenders take time to create your drink, it’s better to leave $3-$4 per drink.

Tipping with taxis

On short rides, it’s common to round up the fare, while the average tip for a longer journey should be between 10 and 15 per cent. If you’re travelling to and from the airport and your driver helps you load and unload your bags, it’s recommended to tip around 20 to 22 per cent.

Tipping hotel staff

Tipping is also expected at hotels in New York. It’s best to tip the person directly at the time of service. If the porters help you carry your bags, expect to tip $1 or $2 per bag. If the doorman hails a cab for you, you should tip $1. And hotel maids might also expect $1 or $2 for a few days of cleaning.

Staying safe

As in any busy city, it’s prudent to take care when travelling in new york's five boroughs. here are some helpful tips to stay street smart:.

• Plan travel routes ahead of time to get a sense of your bearings.
• Stick to busy, well-lit streets when walking after dark.
• Avoid flaunting valuables, like jewellery or your mobile phone, in public.
• Respect local alcohol laws; you must be 21 or over to drink.
• Don't jaywalk, or you could be given a ticket.

To better prepare for your holiday, read our additional travel advice and the government’s foreign travel advice .

Useful contacts

Call 911 in an emergency for Fire, Police or Ambulance services

Consulate services

+1 212 745 0200

For British Nationals in need of urgent assiantance

Discover a new side to New York

Where to stay.

New York hotels for every traveller

Relax on a garden terrace, enjoy chic interiors designed by the likes of Philip Starck, or discover a lobby where a robot stores your suitcase. Travel writer Danielle Contray shares her top New York hotels for your city break.

Eloise Barker

for British Airways

48-hour itineraries

Classic New York: a weekend guide

This 48-hour itinerary is perfect for first-time visitors and packs in the best of the classic sights to see in New York.

Danielle Contray

New York-based writer and editor

Things to do

Things to do in New York: Top 10

If you’re visiting for the first time, then start here. Our run-down of the top ten things to do helps you check off the biggest sights in the city, from the Top of the Rock to the end of Brooklyn Bridge. Book your tickets for the best classic attractions in advance and get ahead of the game.

for British Airways Holidays

Discover more of New York

Discover everything from nostalgic beachside resorts to artisan cuisine and culture.

New York road trips

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• Entering and staying in the UK
• Visas and entry clearance

Visa processing times: applications outside the UK

Check how quickly you’ll receive a decision on your UK visa application if you are applying from outside the UK.

You are not required to book any travel before you apply or before a decision is made on your application.

You should allow enough time before you plan travel to make a visa application. You will only receive a refund of your application fee if we have not started to process your application.

You may be able to pay for a faster decision on a visa application.

When your application processing time starts

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) starts processing your application once you either:

verify your identity and submit your documents and application online using the UK Immigration: ID Check app . We’ll tell you if you can use this

attend your appointment at a visa application centre (VAC) to provide your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information)

Applications made in the USA

If you make an appointment at a USCIS Application Support Center to provide your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) , you must then send your passport and documents to the VFS processing hub in New York.

If you make an appointment at a VFS premium Application Centre to provide your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information), you can submit your passport and supporting documents at that location.

In both cases, the processing time starts when VFS receive your application.

When your application processing time ends

You’ll get a letter or email to let you know that a decision has been made on your application .

If you attended a visa application centre, you should not visit one until you have been contacted to do so.

You do not need to contact UKVI to track your application if you’ve already made a visa application and it is still within the current processing times.

When you might wait longer

Your visa application may take longer to process if, for example:

• the information in your application is not accurate or requires further consideration
• you need to provide further evidence, for example evidence of funds
• your supporting documents need to be verified
• you need to attend an interview
• further information is required on your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)
• UKVI is experiencing increased visa demand

You will be contacted by a letter or email if we need more information on your visa application.

Current processing times

The processing times listed below are based on the current volume of visa applications.

All UK processing times are measured against agreed customer service standards .

Visit visas

Study visas, family visas, ukraine visas, popular work visas, temporary work visas, work visas you can apply for without a job offer, work visas to start a business, work visas for an overseas employer, other visas and permits.

Amended processing time on the Ukraine visas.

Clarified the information about short term study visas.

Updated family visa processing times structure.

First published.

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