Changes to UK Visa Application Process You Should Know

The United Kingdom has announced a change in its visa application partner from TLScontact to VFS Global, affecting applicants in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

For some locations, the transition began in September 2024, while for others, it will take effect starting January 2025.

Impact on Applicants
The UK government assures applicants that this change will not affect the processing time or outcome of visa applications.

“If your visa application is affected, there’s no need to panic. The change won’t impact the decision on your application or the time it takes for that decision,” said the UK government office in Nigeria.

What You Need to Do

• Applicants will receive emails from both TLScontact and VFS Global with instructions on how to proceed.
• To verify the authenticity of these emails, ensure they end with either @tlscontact.com or @vfsglobal.com.
• Read all emails carefully, as they may contain important steps required to continue your application process.

The UK government also mentioned that visa appointments might temporarily be unavailable in some locations. If this happens, applicants should wait until VFS Global starts operating in their area before signing in to resume their applications.

VFS Global has confirmed that Nigerians can now process their UK visa applications at the VFS centres in Abuja and Lagos. Applicants must book appointments through the VFS Global website: visa.vfsglobal.com.

Changes in Enugu Centre Operations
In October 2023, the UK High Commission opened a visa application centre in Enugu, but with this transition, the centre—previously operated by TLScontact—appears to have ceased operations.

Key Statistics and Policy Updates
Nigeria and India are among the largest markets for UK student visas globally. However, the UK tightened student visa rules in January 2024, restricting dependents from accompanying international students. Despite this, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, revealed that approximately 430,000 visa applications from Nigerians had been approved as of August 2024.