In a significant development for international travelers, VFS Global has been awarded the global contract for all UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service (VCAS) centers worldwide.
The outsourcing and tech services company will extend its services to 87 new countries, in addition to the 58 countries it currently serves.
Hariprasad Viswanathan, Head of sub-Saharan Africa at VFS Global, revealed plans to set up centers in 142 countries, with exclusivity for processing UK visa applications in Africa expected between Q3 and Q4 in 2024.
The new countries included in this expansion cover 31 nations in Africa, such as Algeria, Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, among others.
While the exact implementation date remains undisclosed, it has been reported that starting from the latter part of 2024, all UK visa applications in Africa will be exclusively processed through VFS Global.
In a related development, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a significant increase in UK visa fees for applicants worldwide. Effective from October 4, the fee adjustments are intended to support public sector wage increases following recent strikes.
The fee restructuring impacts various visa categories, including work visas, family routes, student routes, and visitor visas, with increases ranging from 15 to 20 percent.
The new visa fee structure is reported as follows:
- Short stay: £100 to £115
- Two-year visa: £376 to £400
- Five-year visa: £670 to £771
- 10-year visa: £837 to £963
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