The British High Commission in Nigeria has announced the opening of new UK Visa Application Centres in Enugu and Port Harcourt to enhance access for Nigerian travellers during the summer season.
In a statement released in Abuja, the High Commission said the new centres will allow visa applicants to submit their documents and enrol biometrics locally, easing the travel process for residents of Enugu and Rivers States.
The High Commission noted that the new Premium Application Centres are operated by VFS Global, which already manages existing state-of-the-art centres in Abuja, Ikeja, and Victoria Island in 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.
