On Wednesday, the UK opened its largest visa application centre in Africa, located in Ikeja, Lagos.
The new VFS Global centre is a key step in improving visa services for Nigerians applying to the UK.
The British High Commission in Lagos made this announcement on Wednesday.
The Ikeja facility, open since November 19, aims to speed up visa applications and enhance the applicant experience. Other locations are in Abuja and Victoria Island, Lagos.
At the event in Ikeja, British Deputy High Commissioner Jonny Baxter emphasised the value of the UK-Nigeria relationship.
At the opening of the new UK Visa Application Centre in Ikeja, Lagos on November 27, 2024, L-R: Mr. Kingsley Magee, VFS UKVI Account Management Team; Mr. Srinarayan Sankaran, Chief Operating Officer – Global Operations and Head of UKVI Account Management; Mr. Jonny Baxter, British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos; Mr. Marc Owen, Director for Visa, Status, and Information Services at UKVI; Mr. Alok Singhal, Head-Sub-Saharan Africa, VFS Global.He was hopeful that applicants will receive better services at the new centre.
“I’m thrilled to see the opening of Africa’s largest visa application hub. We hope that VFS will continue to provide ever-improving services for individuals applying for visas to the UK, since Nigeria continues to be one of the UK’s most significant partners,” Baxter stated.
In addition, Marc Owen, Director of immigration, Status and Information Services at UK Visas and Immigration, called the move a significant step in providing top-notch immigration services.
According to Owen, in the year ending June 2024, more than 225,000 Nigerian nationals applied for UK visas, indicating the rising desire for travel to the country.
“UKVI and VFS Global are thrilled to reach a significant milestone in offering top-notch UK visa services in Nigeria and throughout Africa with the launch of our new VAC in Ikeja.”
“This new partnership demonstrates our continued commitment to ensuring our visa services are accessible, efficient, and meet the needs of all applicants.” He said that in the year ending June 2024, we processed over 225,000 UK visas for Nigerian nationals across all categories.
The new partnership introduces a number of improved services, such as help with document uploads, longer submission hours, SMS updates, courier passport returns, and the ability for applicants to keep their passports following biometric enrolment.
Additionally, Abuja residents can now use the Mobile Visa Service to apply from the places of their choice, and a Premium Lounge option provides a customised experience with committed staff.
The purpose of these optional services is to make applications more convenient without compromising processing times or results.
Nigerians, who make up 5% of all applications for UK visit visas worldwide, continue to choose the UK as their preferred travel destination.
The new facility demonstrates the UK’s dedication to satisfying this demand while preserving effective and easily accessible visa services.
In order to further solidify its position as a global manager of visa services, VFS Global, a longstanding partner of UK Visas and Immigration since 2003, has increased its activities from 58 countries to 142.
CREDIT:Allneeds,THE PUNCH
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