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UK Opens Africa’s Biggest Visa Application Centre In Lagos

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UK Opens Africa’s Biggest Visa Application Centre In Lagos

The United Kingdom opened its biggest visa application center in Africa on Wednesday, and it’s in Ikeja, Lagos. For Nigerians visiting the UK, the new center, run by VFS Global, is a major step in improving visa application procedures.

The British High Commission in Lagos released a statement that included this information.

The Ikeja facility has been in operation since November 19 and has additional facilities in Abuja and Victoria Island, Lagos. It is designed to provide applicants with a smooth experience and expedite visa submissions.

Jonny Baxter; the British Deputy High Commissioner, demonstrated the significance of the UK-Nigeria relationship by attending the event in Ikeja. Hopefully, he said, the new center will provide applicants with better services.

“I am delighted to witness the opening of this, largest visa application center in Africa. Nigeria remains one of the UK’s most important partners, and we hope that VFS delivers ever-improving services for those applying for visas to the UK,” Baxter said.

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.

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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.

“The opening of our new VAC in Ikeja marks an exciting milestone for UKVI and VFS Global in the provision of a world-class UK visa service here in Nigeria and elsewhere across Africa.

“In the year to June 2024, we processed more than 225,000 UK visas for Nigerian nationals across all categories and this new partnership demonstrates our continued commitment to ensuring our visa services are accessible, efficient, and meet the needs of all applicants,” he noted.

Several improved services are being introduced by the new partnership, 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 customized 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 UK’s dedication to satisfying this demand while preserving effective and easily accessible visa services is demonstrated by the new facility.

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.

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