(MENAFN- Colombo Gazette) UK Visas and Immigration is beginning a phased resumption of services at select Visa Application Centres in 11 cities in India from 06 July 2020, namely Ahmedabad, Bengaluru (Global Tech Park only), Chandigarh, Chennai (subject to local lockdown regulations), Jalandhar, Kochi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai (Mahalaxmi only), New Delhi (Shivaji Metro Stadium only), and Pune.
From 06 July 2020, UK Visa Application Centres will also be operational in Sri Lanka (Colombo), VFS Global announced.
As part of health precautions, only customers with a prior appointment (booked online) may visit the Centre to submit their applications and enrol biometrics.
Centres that will remain closed: All other Visa Application Centres in South Asia remain closed until further notice. VFS Global will contact customers who had previously booked appointments at these centres to arrange for them to complete their application at a different location.
Centres in the following cities in India remain closed: Lucknow, Goa, Jaipur, Bandra-Kurla Complex Centre in Mumbai, Gurgaon in Delhi, Electronic City and Whitefield centres in Bengaluru. Customers in these locations can book new appointments at the nearest available locations.
Passport collection: If a decision has been made on a visa application, VFS Global staff will contact customers to arrange for the delivery of the passport.
Existing customers: Customers who were unable to attend an earlier appointment will be able to log into their account to book a fresh appointment. Customers who completed their application on GOV.UK, but did not previously book an appointment at a Centre, can also do so for 06 July 2020 onwards.
Optional services: Some optional, premium services will currently not be offered, including: Super Priority Visa, Priority Visa (for visit visas), Priority Visa for settlement visas, Flexi Time Service, and Walk-in Service.
The available premium services will be listed on the website for customers during their online customer journey, before visiting the Centre.
There are new rules in place for entering the UK because of the ongoing COVID-19 situation. We request you to please check the latest information before you travel at https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control.
For customers whose 30-day visa to work, study or join family has expired: Customers whose 30-day visa to travel to the UK for work, study or to join family has expired, or is about to expire, can request a replacement visa with revised validity dates free of charge until the end of this year.
Please visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa applicants-andtemporary-uk-residents#outside-uk for details.
As part of VFS Global health and safety measures for the prevention of COVID-19, which are in line with the recommendations of the World Health Organisation and local authorities, customers visiting our Visa Application Centres may be asked to observe physical distancing, undergo temperature checks or be required to wear facemasks. Customers exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, including fever (higher than 37.3 degrees Celsius / 99.1 degrees Fahrenheit), cough or difficulty breathing will be helped to reschedule their application submission for another day and will be advised to seek medical attention at the nearest healthcare facility of their choice.
Customers can also opt for Courier Return of documents (available at a nominal fee), so they do not have to visit the Visa Application Centre again after a decision is made and maintain physical distancing.
For British nationals who wish to renew or apply for a British passport from India, please visit https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports for details on how to do this.
For latest updates, customers are advised to visit our individual country pages. About VFS Global VFS Global is the world''s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. VFS Global has Swiss parentage and is a portfolio company of EQT, a leading global private equity firm headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. With 3390 Application Centres, operations in 144 countries across five continents and over 223 million applications processed (since inception in 2001) as on 31 May 2020, VFS Global is the trusted partner of 64 client governments.
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