On November 12, 2024, HE Lindy Cameron CB OBE, the British High Commissioner to India, inaugurated a new UK Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Delhi, operated by VFS Global. This facility is part of a global contract awarded to VFS Global, which is responsible for UK visa and passport services in 142 countries.
The expansion includes new permanent VACs in Lucknow, Jaipur, Gurugram, and Mysuru, increasing the total number from 14 to 18 across India. To streamline the application process, the centres will now prioritsze biometric enrollment before document scanning for non-digital applicants, significantly reducing wait times.
Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India said: “The UK-India partnership is built on millions of personal connections, shared dreams, and collective aspirations. I’m delighted to launch the refurbished VFS Visa Application Centre for UK visa and passport applications in Delhi. We’re introducing significant improvements in our visa services across India, further strengthening our already excellent visa offering for Indian nationals. The vast majority of Visit, Work and Study visa applications we receive are processed within three weeks and there are no caps on visa appointments.”
Matt Heath, Visits & ETA Network Deputy Director, UK Visas and Immigration, remarked, “I am delighted to be here, in Delhi, to inaugurate this visa application centre, we extend our sincere thanks to Page 2/3 VFS for their outstanding support in facilitating close to a million visa applications for Indian nationals in the recent year ending June 2024.
Looking ahead, the UK government plans to implement a 'digital by default' immigration system by 2025, introducing eVisas to improve customer experience and security. UKVI has also cautioned applicants to be vigilant against fraud, advising them to follow official communication channels and avoid sharing personal information with unverified sources.
Yummi Talwar, Chief Operating Officer – South Asia, VFS Global said, “We are deeply humbled by UKVI’s continued faith and support and are excited to welcome travellers to the UK at this new facility. Our partnership with UKVI and the British High Commission has grown from strength to strength through our 21 years of association here in India, and their steadfast partnership encourages us to keep putting our best foot forward in providing UK visa services across our locations of operations.”
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