Applying for a student visa from the USA?
With the 2021-22 academic year due to begin at UK Universities this Autumn, many international students taking up a course of study in the UK will soon be turning their attentions to applying for a student visa.
The team at Smith Stone Walters’ New York office would like to make applicants aware of a number of ‘student specials’ available to those applying for a UK student visa from the USA.
VFS Global, the Home Office’s commercial partner which runs UK Visa Application Centres (VACs) overseas, is currently offering the following special student packages to provide a smoother and more flexible visa application process.
Student Specials at VFS Premium Application Centres
Students looking for a one-stop shop for their visa application can pay a service fee of $95 per customer to attend an appointment at one of the VFS Premium Application Centres.
This premium service allows students to have their biometrics enrolled, and their application and documents submitted to the UKVI Decision Making Centre at the time of appointment. After the process is concluded, students can opt to collect in person or have the passport returned to them via courier for an additional $45 fee.
Premium Centres in the USA can be found in the following locations:
- Atlanta
- Boston
- Chicago
- Houston
- Los Angeles
- Miami
- New York
- San Francisco
- Seattle
- Washington DC
To book an appointment at a premium centre, students will need to select the VFS Global centre service option when paying for the visa fee at the end of the application form. They will then be able to register an account with VFS Global, giving them access to book an appointment at a VFS Premium centre and purchase the $95 Student Special Package.
Student Specials through On Demand Mobile Visa Service
This ‘visa at your doorstep’ package allows customers to apply for a visa from a location of their choice.
Students will have their biometrics completed at the time of appointment, and VFS staff will ship the applications to the scanning hub in New York, where passports and documents will be electronically submitted to the UK Decision Making Centre for case assessment. Once a decision has been made, VFS will return the passport to the customer’s preferred address via UPS.
The On Demand Mobile Visa Service is flexible and ideal for larger groups of applicants. Universities can opt for VFS to set up an enrolment station on their campus, or partner up with another local University and request an enrolment station to be set up at a conference centre in close proximity for all student visa applicants.
Pricing for this service is dependent on group size and proximity to a VFS Premium Application Centre (PAC). Pricing is composed of two fees as follows:
- Logistics / Travel Fee – $995 or $2500 depending on location
- For events within 50 miles of a VFS PAC: $995 for up to 30 customers. For 30 customers, each would pay $33.17.
- For events outside 50 miles of a VFS PAC: $2500 for up to 30 customers. For 30 customers, each would pay $83.33.
- VFS Service Fee – Fixed at $95 per customer.
For a quote and to book the On Demand Mobile Visa Service, fill out the VFS enquiry form here and you will be contacted within 1 to 2 days.
Support for US students
Smith Stone Walters is proud to offer a global network of support for our clients, with offices in key locations around the world including London, New York, Hong Kong and Mumbai.
This means that, no matter where you are located, our immigration advisors are on hand to offer help and practical support.
To speak to a member of the SSW team in the USA, please call +1 646 790 5913 or email usa@smithstonewalters.com.
