In a move highlighting the strong UK-India connection, Indian nationals were the largest recipients of UK visas for visit, study and work categories in the year ending June 2024.

This was revealed by British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron during the inauguration of a new UK visa application facility of VFS Global in Delhi.

In a press statement, VFS says that the new centre, inaugurated on November 12, is designed to expedite the visa application process with updated infrastructure to serve increasing demand more efficiently. 

It says that visa applicants from India now benefit from a two-step process, where biometrics are collected first, followed by document scanning for non-digital applicants. 

This approach significantly reduces wait times under the new global UK visa services contract that VFS Global secured in December 2023. The statement adds that several UK Visa Application Centres (VACs) across India have also been upgraded to state-of-the-art facilities.

Lindy Cameron

“The UK-India partnership is built on millions of personal connections, shared dreams, and collective aspirations. I am delighted to launch the refurbished VFS Visa Application Centre for UK visa and passport applications in Delhi. We are 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 3 weeks and there are no caps on visa appointments,” Cameron said while inaugurating the centre.

Matt Heath

“I am delighted to be here, in Delhi, to inaugurate this visa application centre, we extend our sincere thanks to VFS for their outstanding support in facilitating close to a million visa applications for Indian nationals in the recent year ending June 2024,” Matt Heath, Visits & ETA Network Deputy Director, UK Visas and Immigration, said in his address.

The statement adds that looking forward, the UK government aims to introduce a digital-first immigration system by 2025, which includes eVisas. 

This digital shift aims to enhance customer experience, security, and efficiency in immigration. Heath urged applicants to beware of fraud, advising that UKVI will never request payments over social media or guarantee visas for payments to third parties.

Yummi Talwar

“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,” said Yummi Talwar, Chief Operating Officer, South Asia, VFS Global.

The statement adds that eight Indian cities, including Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, and Chennai, now host upgraded Visa Application Centres. 

Thirteen Premium Application Centres in cities like Amritsar, Indore, and Mangalore provide additional options for applicants seeking added convenience.