The British High Commission in Nigeria has announced the opening of additional UK Visa Application Centres in Enugu and Port Harcourt to improve access for Nigerian tourists during the summer months.
According to a statement released in Abuja, the new sites would allow visa applicants to submit paperwork and enrol in biometrics locally, making travel easier for Enugu and Rivers State citizens.
The High Commission stated that the new Premium Application Centres will be managed by VFS Global, which already maintains cutting-edge facilities in Abuja, Ikeja, and Victoria Island, Lagos.
These new locations aim to meet the increasing demand for UK visas, especially during peak travel periods.
Hon. Lord David Hanson, Minister of State at the UK Home Office, said: “The government is pleased to be able to reopen the Premium Visa Application Centres in both Port Harcourt and Enugu. In 2024, we received more than 230,000 visa applications from Nigerian nationals across all visa routes. These new centres will offer greater convenience for applicants and reflect the strength of the UK–Nigeria relationship.”
Alok Singhal, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at VFS Global, added that the new centres would provide the same high-quality services offered at their existing centres. “We are pleased to open these conveniently located touchpoints, which allow us to cater to a larger number of UK-bound travellers from Nigeria,” he said.
Applicants using the Premium Application Centres can also access a range of value-added services, including document upload assistance, real-time application status updates, and courier return of documents.
The travellers may book the “Keep My Passport While Applying” service, which enables them to retain their passport after submitting their application and biometrics, only resubmitting it once a decision has been made.
As a partner to UK Visas and Immigration since 2003, VFS Global offered visa services in 58 countries before the new contract and was awarded the contract to provide UK visa services in 142 countries worldwide in 2023.