New Centres Open In Australia for UK Visa Applications
May 31, 2014
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Practice Leader, Outbound Services
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By: Victoria Jamour
From April 2014, Australians applying to enter the United Kingdom must apply for their entry clearance using the newly opened Visa Application Centres (VACs) located across Australia.
As part of the outsourcing plan of UK Visa Services to VFS Global, and in order to cater for higher demand, five new centres have opened in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Canberra.
The new VACs provide a more convenient way for applicants to submit and collect documents. There is a ‘Visa Priority Service’ to fast track processing times for a ‘Points Based System’ and visit visas. The priority service aims to complete processing within 5–7 days for non-settlement applications and 10 days for settlement applications by printing the visas in Canberra instead of the Manila processing hub.
The Priority Service charges AUD 190 for non-settlement applications and AUD 380 for settlement applications. This will expedite the process by at least 10 days compared to the usual processing time of 15–20 days. Applicants can also opt to have their passports and documents couriered to their nominated address following visa issuance. Application and biometric appointments must be made online prior to visiting a VAC.
The VACs’ opening times and visa service fees (required for applications submitted in Brisbane, Canberra and Perth) are:
|
City |
Location |
Operating Days/Times |
Service Fees |
|
Sydney |
Level 8, 189 Kent Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 |
Mon – Fri |
n/a |
|
Melbourne |
Suite 3, Level 13, |
Mon – Fri |
n/a |
|
Brisbane |
Level 8, 87 Wickham Terrace, |
Mon – Fri |
GBP 59/AUD 112 |
|
Canberra |
Level 5, 7 London Circuit, Canberra, ACT 2601 |
Tuesdays and Wednesdays |
GBP 59/AUD 112 |
|
Perth |
Level 3, 267 St Georges Terrace Perth, WA 6000 (TBC) |
Tuesdays and Wednesdays |
GBP 59/AUD 112 |
To apply please visit: http://vfsglobal.co.uk/australia/vfsglobalintroduction.html
