More Visa Application Centres are set to open from 22 June 2020
After the success of “Phase 1” of the restarting of operations at some international Visa Application Centres (VACs) from 1 June 2020, the United Kingdom Home Office has authorized that the second phase of Visa Application Centres (VACs) will be opening from 22 June 2020 totally depending on the “local circumstances and operating environment remaining favourable”.
In phase 2 the following Visa Application Centres (VACs) are likely to re-open:
- Adana
- Alexandria
- Amman
- Ankara
- Auckland
- Baku
- Bandar Seri Begawan
- Banjul
- Barcelona
- Belgrade
- Brussels
- Bursa
- Cairo
- Changsha
- Chengdu
- Chiang Mai
- Danang
- Fuzhou
- Gaziantep
- Geneva
- Hangzhou
- Hanoi
- Ho Chi Minh City
- Istanbul
- Izmir
- Jinan
- Kunming
- Lisbon
- Madrid
- Nanjing
- Osaka
- Paris
- Phnom Penh
- Seoul
- Shenyang
- Shenzhen
- Tokyo
- Tunis
- Wuhan
- Xi’an
For exact details regarding each Visa Application Centre (VAC), UK visa applicants are instructed to visit the related commercial partner websites for Africa, Europe, parts of the Middle East and all other countries worldwide.
Please keep in mind that it is still possible to apply for the United Kingdom Visa online, and it makes logic for visa applicant to use this time to become well aware with the United Kingdom immigration obligations the applicant need to meet, and to assemble all related documents so the visa applicant can get the entry clearance (visa) as quickly as possible when the local Visa Application Centre re-open.
You can also view the Home Office’s advice (link mentioned below) for United Kingdom visa applicants and temporary United Kingdom residents for knowledge about how your documents (for example Passport) will be returned to you. It also clarifies that if you made an appointment before the visa application centre was closed, you will be communicated when it is possible to book a new appointment. Please keep in mind that your appointment will be postponed, not cancelled.
If you have already submitted a United Kingdom visa application and now want to withdraw or cancel it you can watch our video on Cancelling your visa, immigration or citizenship application.
The United Kingdom Home Office has already confirmed on 17 April 2020 that Access UK (the digital application process) will keep visa applications for an additional 240 days. This is to make sure that entry clearance applications stays active and legal, so you will be able to provide your biometric data once visa applications services starts again.
United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has also approved that its priority and super priority services for accelerated visa processing remain under review as it struggles to uphold safe and efficient operations.
On the other hand, United Kingdom Visa applicants who are obligated to sit United Kingdom Home Office approved English language tests for example (International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Pearson Test of English, LanguageCert) are instructed to get in touch or visit the related tests centre website for more information on the re-opening of English Test Centres and booking tests.