Filing a UK visa application in
the 10 largest countries
in the world

In the UK, the majority of COVID-19 restrictions have now been lifted, and travellers can now enjoy international travel for both business and tourism purposes, albeit with some additional requirements still in place.

However, some restrictions and temporary closures are still in place at UK Visa Application Centres (VACs) overseas, which could impact those looking to file an application for a UK visa.

UK visa centres overseas are run by two commercial partners engaged by the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). Depending on the country, applicants filing a UK visa application from overseas will access the service through one of the following providers:

In this article, we provide a service update on UK VACs run by the above providers in the 10 largest countries in the world: Russia, Canada, the United States, China, Brazil, Australia, India, Argentina, Kazakhstan and Algeria.

Important Note: The information in this article is correct at the time of publication, however temporary closures and a change in operating hours can happen at short notice. For this reason, Smith Stone Walters advises applicants to check the current status of their centre on the provider’s website before travelling to an appointment.

Russia

In Russia, UK VACs are run by TLScontact, and are located in:

  • Ekaterinburg
  • Moscow
  • Novosibirsk
  • Rostov-on-Don
  • Petersburg

Due to new lockdown measures in place in Russia, UK visa centres across the country will be temporarily closed from 28 October 2021 to 7 November 2021. Applicants who have booked an appointment between those dates are advised to reschedule it using their personal account.

Canada

VFS Global is responsible for operating UK VACs in Canada, with service points in six locations across the country. The current service availability in each location is as follows:

  • Edmonton – Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 09:00 – 14:00
  • Halifax – Currently closed
  • Ottawa – Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday 09:00 – 14:00
  • St John’s – Currently closed
  • Toronto – Open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 09:00 – 15:00
  • Vancouver – Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday 09:00 – 14:00

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, visa centres in Canada are not offering a walk-in service at present. Customers are also strongly advised to purchase Courier Return of their documents to avoid having to visit the centre again after a decision on their application has been made.

United States

Customers applying for a UK Visa from the USA may visit one of over 130 USCIS Application Support Centres to provide their biometric information, or they can visit one of VFS Global’s Premium Application Centres.

There is no charge to attend a USCIS Application Support Centre, although appointment availability may be limited. A full list of Application Support Centres run by the Department of Homeland Security can be found here.

VFS Global’s Premium Application Centres (PACs) offer Gold, Silver and Bronze Premium Packages, each with varying levels of service. More information and costs can be found here.

The current opening hours at the 10 PACs in the USA are as follows:

  • Atlanta – Monday to Friday 08:30 – 17:00
  • Boston – Monday to Friday 07:00 – 15:30
  • Chicago – Monday to Friday 07:00 – 15:30
  • Houston – Monday to Friday 08:30 – 17:00
  • Los Angeles – Monday to Friday 07:00 – 15:30
  • Miami – Monday to Friday 08:30 – 17:00
  • New York – Monday to Friday 07:00 – 17:00
  • San Francisco – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 16:00
  • Seattle – Monday to Friday 08:30 – 17:00
  • Washington DC – Monday to Friday 07:00 – 15:30

Customers who are unable to book an appointment at a PAC immediately are advised to check again in a few days, as new appointments are continuously being released. Courier Return of your documents is included in the Bronze, Silver and Gold premium packages, meaning applicants will not need to visit the centre again after a decision has been made.

China

UK VACs in China are run by VFS Global, with service points in 15 locations across the country. All centres in China are open, although opening hours are currently limited to the following:

  • Beijing – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 13:00
  • Changsha – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 12:00
  • Chengdu – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 12:00
  • Chongqing – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 12:00
  • Fuzhou – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 12:00
  • Guangzhou – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 13:00
  • Hangzhou – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 12:00
  • Jinan – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 12:00
  • Kunming – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 12:00
  • Nanjing – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 12:00
  • Shanghai – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 13:00
  • Shenyang – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 12:00
  • Shenzhen – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 12:00
  • Wuhan – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 12:00
  • Xi’an – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 12:00

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, visa centres in China are not offering a walk-in service at present. Customers are also strongly advised to purchase Courier Return of their documents to avoid having to visit the centre again after a decision on their application has been made.

Brazil

From 4 October, Brazil is no longer on the UK’s red list. This means that UKVI can now begin to process visit visa applications which were put on hold due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, customers are advised that there is currently a high demand for visa appointments in Brazil. Applicants are advised to keep checking the VFS Global website, as additional appointments are released at the end of the month.

There are five VFS Global VACs in Brazil, however three of them attract an additional fee to attend, and are only open on set days during each month, with limited operating hours:

The two centres in Brazil offering more regular opening hours are:

  • Rio De Janeiro – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 17:00
  • Sao Paulo – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 17:00

Customers should note that due to restrictions still in place, VFS Global VACs in Brazil are currently unable to offer Priority services and walk-in services. Applicants are strongly advised to purchase Courier Return of their documents to avoid having to visit the centre again after a decision has been made.

Australia

UK VACs in Australia are run by VFS Global, with service points in seven locations across the country. However, centres are currently subject to temporary closures and reduced operating hours, therefore securing an appointment may be more difficult than usual at the present time. Customers who are unable to book an appointment immediately are advised to check the website again in a few days.

Due to local COVID regulations, the Visa Application Centre in Hobart will be closed until further notice. The centre in Adelaide is only open on scheduled days between 08:30 – 15:00. The remaining UK VACs in Australia are open at the following times:

  • Brisbane – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 08:30 – 15:00
  • Canberra – Tuesday 08:30 – 15:00
  • Melbourne – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 08:30 – 15:00
  • Perth – Tuesday 08:30 – 15:00
  • Sydney – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 08:30 – 15:00

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, visa centres in Australia are not offering a walk-in service at present. Customers are also strongly advised to purchase Courier Return of their documents to avoid having to visit the centre again after a decision on their application has been made.

India

From 4 October, India has been removed from the UK’s now-defunct amber travel list. Visit visas for the UK from India are now being processed along with all other categories of visa. UKVI will work to process all visit visa applications that were put on hold during the red list period as soon as possible.

Many VFS Global VACs in India remain open, however due to high demand and longer processing times, new applicants are encouraged to apply for their visa as early as possible and not make travel plans until the visa has been received.

The VAC in Goa is open on scheduled days between 09:00 – 17:30. The other centres in India are open as follows:

  • Ahmedabad – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 14:00
  • Bengaluru – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 16:00
  • Chandigarh – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 16:00
  • Chennai – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 16:00
  • Cochin – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 16:00
  • Hyderabad – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 16:00
  • Jalandhar – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 16:00
  • Kolkata – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 16:00
  • Mumbai South – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 16:00
  • New Delhi – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 16:00
  • Pune – Monday to Friday 08:00 – 14:00

Due to restrictions, VACs in India are currently unable to offer a walk-in service. Priority and Super Priority visa services are available at some centres for all visa categories:

  • Priority Visa Services available at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai (South), New Delhi, Pune.
  • Super Priority Visa Services available at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai (South), New Delhi, Pune.

Argentina

On 4 October, Argentina was removed from the UK government’s red list. This means UKVI can now process visit visa applications that were placed on hold due to red list restrictions.

Although customers are now free to file all types of UK visa applications from Argentina, securing an appointment may take longer than usual as the country’s only VFS Global VAC, located in Buenos Aires, is currently only open on a Monday between the hours of 09:00 – 15:00.

Due to restrictions still in place, VFS Global is unable to offer Priority services and walk-in services at present. Customers are also strongly advised to purchase Courier Return of their documents to avoid having to visit the centre again after a decision on their application has been made.

Kazakhstan

UK visa application centres in Kazakhstan are run by TLScontact, and are located in:

  • Almaty
  • Atyrau
  • Nur Sultan

All three centres are currently open for new visa applications.

Algeria

UK visa application centres in Algeria are run by TLScontact, and are located in:

  • Algiers
  • Oran

Both centres are open for new visa applications.

Get help with booking your VAC appointment

If you are looking to file an application for a UK visa from overseas and are struggling to secure an appointment at a visa application centre, Smith Stone Walters can help.

Our team can take care of the appointment booking process for you, checking availability as new appointments are released to help you secure a slot at the earliest convenience.

To speak to an advisor, please contact us today.

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