TLSContact UK Visa Application Centres: New System Impacts on Applicants

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has recently changed its commercial partner that handles the Visa Application Centres (VACs) within the UK. Beginning on 15 October 2024, the VACs are no longer handled by Sopra Steria and instead will be managed by the new partner, TLSContact.

What has changed?

As part of the change, all previous Sopra Steria VACs have now closed and have been replaced by 32 new TLSContact Centres in new locations. As a result of the change, the option to choose to submit using a Premium VAC has not (currently) been replaced under the new provider.

The Premium VAC previously offered applicants the option to pay an additional fee to attend a separate centre with greater amenities and generally better appointment availability.

How does the new system work?

Practically, the appointment booking process via the new TLSContact portal is similar to the previous provider. Instead of directing to the Sopra Steria portal, applicants are now taken to the TLSContact portal upon submission of the application on the UKVI website to choose their preferred VAC and book an appointment.

One notable change under the new system is that, once a VAC has been confirmed, the location is locked. Applicants are unable to change the location if their preference changes, removing some flexibility should plans change.  

Once a VAC has been selected, applicants are required to choose a timeslot and can either opt to book a self-service or assisted scanning appointment.

Under the new system, appointments are also available outside of business hours (known as Prime Time) for an additional fee.

Who is required to attend a Visa Application Centre?

Individuals who hold a European Economic Area (EEA) passport with a biometric chip or a valid Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) from a previous application can apply for their visas online and verify their biometric information digitally using the UK Immigration: ID Check App (ID Check App).

Applicants who do not hold an EEA passport, were below six years of age when they submitted their previous application or were not issued with a BRP for their previous application are currently required to attend a VAC to provide their biometrics and submit their application.

It should also be noted that the ID Check App process has not yet been rolled out for individuals applying for certain visa routes, such as Indefinite Leave to Remain or spouse of a Settled Person application. As such, all individuals applying under these routes would also be required to attend a VAC.

Since expedited services are not currently available to individuals applying for a dependant visa via the ID Check App, those wishing to submit via priority or super priority would also be required to attend a VAC.

Appointment availability

Under the previous Sopra Steria system, applicants were generally able to secure an appointment up to one to two weeks following online submission. Under the new system, the majority of TLSContact centres have limited or no appointments available to book, and of the few slots that are available many are limited to paid Prime Time or Assisted Service appointments only.  Appointments currently appear to be released daily and up to one month in advance.

There have also been recent challenges regarding the availability of expedited services (such as priority and super priority services) which have been inconsistently available in recent weeks and removed without notice. This has further exacerbated delays with applications and created further issues for applicants relying on a fast turnaround for their application.

Impact of the change on applicants

As the processing time for applications submitted via the expedited service routes begins on the date of biometric appointment, limited appointment availability will result in delays and seemingly reduces the effectiveness of these services, as many applicants are required to wait up to one month for the next available appointment.

It should also be noted that for many types of applications, including those for work visas and Indefinite Leave to Remain, applicants are required to remain in the UK once their application has been submitted online and until they receive a decision on their application, as travelling outside the UK could automatically withdraw their application.

This, paired with the current limits on appointment availability, means that some applicants may be required to postpone or cancel their upcoming travel plans, which is likely to have a significant impact considering the upcoming holiday period, if not resolved quickly.

Although the UKVI announced its plans to transition to the new commercial provider prior to the change, little prior information was provided regarding the specifics of the new system and the likely impact on appointment availability.

As a result, individuals were unable to pre-empt the likely delays on their applications when planning the submission of their applications and making travel arrangements. However, TLSContact is working diligently on these issues during this testing period, and it is hoped that they will be resolved shortly.

Need to know more?

For questions surrounding TLSContact, or if you have general UK immigration queries, please contact Partner Louise Haycock at [email protected], Senior Manager Alicia Suarez-Neves at [email protected] and Senior Associate Adam Hickling at [email protected].

This blog was published on 1 November 2024, and due to the circumstances, there are frequent changes. To keep up to date with all the latest updates on global immigration, please subscribe to our alerts and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram.