April has seen a number of changes to the online systems at UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI). In order to save you the frustration of trying to find where information is now held, you can read our following summary and comments.

GOV.UK

As reported in our February update, the old UK Border Agency (UKBA) website migrated to GOV.UK on 26 March 2014. Information is still being added to this site daily, but it remains difficult to navigate.

We are part of the GOV.UK research community to improve the new website. If you have any problems with the site, please let us know, and we will include these in our feedback.

Overseas application processes

One area of the previous UKBA website, which was not replicated on the new UKVI site, was information about the application process in each country. Our understanding is that this is now meant to be covered by a combination of:

Slowly but surely, UKVI is also adding country information sheets for individual countries, eg the USA. To search for country information, you should visit this webpage and search for a particular country.

Online applications are now required in almost every country. The online application process may also require an applicant to pay the application fee online and/or arrange an appointment to submit biometric information and/or supporting documents.

The UKVI contact centre service is intended to allow calls, webchat, and e-mail. The telephone and webchat information is paid for and was introduced on 1 April 2014, but it is still in its testing phase.

The commercial partners are the companies that run the Visa Application Centres (VAC), which applicants have to visit to make their visa applications overseas. One or the other commercial partner runs the VAC(s) in each country. Their sites are used for buying additional services (such a priority processing). In a number of countries, applicants must also register on the commercial partner site as well as for the online application.

Fees

The Home Office also introduced an additional fee of £59 for applications from certain VACs which have a low number of applications, eg from Denmark. Such fees are collected by the relevant commercial partner. The payment process varies between countries, but it can be through the commercial partner’s website.

Premium service appointments

The 'Public Enquiry Offices', which are where premium appointments take place, have been renamed 'Premium Service Centres'.

Additionally, the in-country online system for booking Tier 2 appointments was suspended at the beginning of April due to website maintenance. As an interim solution, UKVI has set up a dedicated email account to request appointments. To request a Tier 2 premium appointment, an applicant will need to provide the following information for himself/herself as well as for each dependant:

  • Full name
  • Date and place of birth
  • E-mail address
  • Phone number
  • Nationality
  • When and where you want an appointment

Staff at the Croydon Premium Service Centre will monitor the email address, book appointments, and confirm the details with customers. Fees must be paid by credit/debit card when customers attend their appointments.