South African VFS centres opened in three major UK cities

The three centres – located in London, Manchester, and Edinburgh – will now accept all types of visa applications on behalf of the South African High Commission, as well as offer online/mobile application tracking for free and certain premium services for additional fees. In turn, the South African High Commission in London is no longer accepting any visa applications at this time.

The VFS Centres will not be jurisdictional in nature; in other words, applicants will be able to file at the VFS Centre that is most convenient for them regardless of their residential address. At this point, applicants will be required to schedule an appointment with a VFS Centre in order to file their applications.

Overall, this is a very welcome announcement. Previously, all visa applications were required to be filed in-person at the South African High Commission in London only. Providing VFS Centres in these three major cities will allow for more convenient filing locations for many applicants.

Please note that, while South African visa applications must now be filed with these new VFS Centres, the South African High Commission in the London has retained their authority over the actual adjudication/decision process for all visa applications. The South African High Commission will continue to process other consular services, including services for South African citizens living in the U.K.

If you work in corporate HR or global mobility, contact Pro-Link GLOBAL today at [email protected] to discuss our visa and immigration services.

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