December 24, 2015 TnH Global 0

New and improved UK Visa Application Centre opens in Connaught Place, Delhi

British High Commissioner for India, Sir James Bevan KCMG, formally opened the UK & Ireland’s new Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Connaught Place, Delhi.

The new VAC brings a number of benefits to customers in the capital. As well as a more central location, the new VAC is situated in the same premises as the Schengen VAC, allowing customers planning a European holiday or business trip the convenience of applying for both visas at the same time. Customers can simply apply for their UK visa, purchase the passport passback service in order to keep their passport while their UK application is processed, and then go across the hall to the Schengen VAC to apply for their Schengen visa.

Sir James Bevan KCMG said, “Following Prime Minister Modi’s successful visit to the UK, we hope that more Indian visitors will be inspired to choose the UK for their next holiday. Not only do Indian visitors benefit our economy (last year they spent £444m in the UK) they take back to India good memories of the UK, which benefits the wider relationship between our two countries. “We are committed to improving the visa service we offer to Indian customers to make it as straightforward as possible to apply for a visa and the opening of this new Visa Application Centre is another example of the improvements we are making, he added.

Gerry Kelly, Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of Ireland said: “I’m very pleased to welcome the opening of the new Visa Application Centre which will provide an improved experience for Indian citizens travelling to Ireland. We have seen a large increase in the number of Indians travelling to Ireland in recent years and I’m sure this new facility will help the Embassy in providing a high quality service to our visa applicants,” adding, “the introduction of the British Irish Visa Scheme has made it more convenient and better value for Indian visitors to travel to both Ireland and Britain as they now require only one visa in order to visit both countries.”

Other recent improvements to the visa service in India include the introduction of new services at selected VACs across India, provided by UKVI’s commercial partner, VFS Global. Many of these services were initially suggested by travel agents and customers.

The new services include:

• Online Payment Assistance – allows customers to pay for their visa by cash at the VAC, using VFS Global’s credit card to make the payment.

• Certification – enables customers to keep hold of their original documents. Customers need to bring original documentation to the VAC to show VFS staff, who then photocopy the documents which then get sent to the decision hub along with the application.

• Walk- in appointments – for customers short on time, or who can no longer make their booked appointment

• Digital Assist – providing help to customers who do not have internet access, by filling in their application forms for them at the Visa Application Centre

• Group appointments – allowing groups to book appointments at the same time in the same VAC, regardless of the size of the group.

The new UK & Ireland Visa Application Centre replaced the one in Nehru Place, which was closed on 6th November and no longer accepts visa applications.

The new UK & Ireland Visa Application Centre is located at: Shivaji Stadium Metro Station, Mezzanine Level Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place New Delhi- 110001
Business hours are Monday to Friday 0800 – 1600 hrs
For more info on passport passback & new user-pay services, go to www.vfsglobal.co.uk/india/user_pay _services.html