The visa application centres in India
accept UK visa applications from customers in India, Bhutan and
Afghanistan
LATEST
NEWS
4 March 2010: Temporary closure of the Visa Application Centres in South India - The Visa Application Centres in Hyderabad, Cochin and Bangalore will be closed from 31 March to 5 April 2010. The visa application centre in Chennai will also be closed from 1 April to 5 April 2010. The closures are due to the installation of a new IT system at the UK Border Agency in Chennai, as part of a global programme affecting all UK Border Agencies. All visa application centres will re open on Tuesday 6 April. The last date that VFS will accept new applications in Hyderabad, Cochin and Bangalore will be Tuesday 30 March. In Chennai, the last date for applications is Wednesday 31 March. During this closure, customers will be able to collect their passports from the visa application centres from 09:00 to 10:00 only. Customers who intend to travel to the UK in April are advised to submit their visa applications as soon as possible. The UK Border Agency in Chennai and the customer enquiry email address will also be closed from the 2 April to the 6 April, after which the aim is to resume a normal visa service as quickly as possible. Any further updates will be placed on this website.
The UK Border Agency apologises in advance for any inconvenience these closures may cause.
26 February 2010: partial lifting of the suspension of Tier
4 visa applications in North India - with effect from Tuesday
2 March 2010, customers may submit Tier 4 visa applications at
the visa application centres in Chandigarh, Jalandhar and New
Delhi for the following courses only:
- foundation degree
- degree
- postgraduate
Customers are required to make an appointment to attend the visa
application centres. Currently applicants may make an appointment
if their courses begin on or before 30 April 2010. Full guidance
on how to schedule an appointment is available at www.vfs-uk-in.com.
In order to show that an application qualifies for the course
levels outlined above, Customers applying in North India are advised
to hold a CAS statement and to bring this to the appointment at
the visa application centre. The CAS statement contains information
held on the CAS and you will need to request this from your UK
education sponsor. The suspension continues for all other courses
and the UK Border Agency is keeping this under review.
26 February 2010: Reminder - Student visa appointment information.
Customers who need to book student visa appointments at the visa
application centres in India are reminded to look at the revised
guidance on the "schedule an appointment" page. Appointments
may be booked for courses starting on or before 30 April 2010.
22 February 2010: Changes to Tier 4 student visa applications
from 3 March 2010. A new set of measures will be introduced
in a phased approach to tighten the criteria on student Tier 4
visa applications. Before you make your visa application, please
check the updates on the Tier
4 General and Child Student guidance on the UK Border Agency
website for full details of the changes. The following changes
will come into effect on 3 March 2010:
The minimum level of English language course has been raised
to level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference
for Languages (CEFR). Students will need a higher level of
English at a minimum level of B1 of the Common European Framework
of References for Languages to come and study an English language
course in the UK. Exceptions apply to Government sponsored
students and specific pre-sessional English courses.
If you are coming to study below degree level (excluding
foundation degree students) you will only be able to work
10 hours a week (this has been reduced from 20 hours).
If you are studying for a course under Tier 4 for 6 months
or less, you will no longer be able to bring your dependants.
Dependants of anyone studying a course lower than degree
level (excluding those on foundation degree courses) will
no longer be able to work (unless they qualify in their own
right under Tier 1 (General) as a highly skilled migrant or
as a skilled worker under Tier 2 General, sportsperson or
minister of religion).
If you have submitted and paid for your application prior to
3 March 2010, you will be considered against the rules in force
at the time. Further changes will be introduced from April 2010.
17 February 2010: Temporary closure of visa application
centres in Western India - Mumbai (north and south), Pune and
Ahmedabad will be closed 18, 19, 22 and 23 February 2010.
The last day on which VFS will accept new applications will be
Wednesday 17 February. The visa application centres will re-open
on Wednesday 24 February. During this closure, customers will
be able to collect their passports from the visa application centre
between 09:00 and 10:00 only. The UK Border Agency office in Mumbai
and customer enquiry email addresses will be closed on 19, 22
and 23 February. We aim to resume a normal visa service as quickly
as possible. The UK Border Agency apologises in advance for any
inconvenience these closures may cause.
10 February 2010: New rules for student points-based system
applications. Students who require a Tier 4 points-based system
visa to study in the UK will be required to meet stricter criteria.
The new regulations will ensure that students studying below degree
level will have limited ability to work in the UK, and their dependants
will not be able to work at all. There will also be a requirement
on students to demonstrate their English language ability. For
more information on the new rules, please see the full
news report on the UK
Border Agency website.
10 February 2010: Visa application fees for 2010-11.
The visa application fees for 2010-11, set by the British Government,
were completed today. The visa application fees are shown in pounds
sterling but are paid for in local currency. The new fees will
come into effect on 6 April and they attract the same equivalent
cost where ever you apply in the world. Please see the UK
Border Agency website for more information on the 2010-11
visa application fees.
30 January 2010: Temporary suspension of Tier 4 student
visa applications in North India: From Monday 1 February 2010,
the UK Border Agency will temporarily stop accepting any new student
visa applications under Tier 4 of the points-based system at the
following visa application centres: New Delhi, Jalandhar and Chandigarh.
The UK Border Agency has taken this decision in response to unexpectedly
high numbers of student visa applications in these areas at this
time of year. This means that no further applications will be
accepted until further notice. In addition, any scheduled appointments
from 1 February onwards will also be suspended until the UK Border
Agency begins to accept Tier 4 applications again, and then these
applicants will be given priority.
Applicants who have already submitted applications before 1 February
will have their applications processed. Visa application centres
in other parts of India will remain open for Tier 4 visa applications
and it will be necessary to make an appointment before attending
these visa centres to submit a student visa application from 1
February. Customers who are making applications in other visa
categories are not affected by this announcement.
30 January 2010: New arrangements for Tier 4 student visa
appointments at the visa application centres: from Monday
1 February, customers must schedule an appointment before attending
visa application centres in India to submit a Tier 4 student visa
application. These new arrangements apply to all visa application
centres except centres in North India in which there is a temporary
suspension on Tier 4 student visa applications. Please note that
applicants currently require a valid visa letter and their course
must start on or before 15 March 2010 in order to make an appointment.
The appointment must be requested by email and cannot be made
by attending the visa application centre. Please see schedule
an appointment for detailed guidance on how to make an appointment
and the information that needs to be provided.
27 January 2010: Changes to student visa applications from
next month. From 22 February 2010 all students who apply to
study in the UK under Tier 4 of the points-based system must possess
a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from their
sponsor. You will not be able to apply under Tier 4 using
a visa letter from that date, even if the visa letter was issued
before 22 February 2010. Until 21 February 2010, you can continue
to apply under Tier 4 using a visa letter, even if your course
of study will start after 22 February 2010. Please see the UK
Border Agency website about studying in the UK for more information.
18 January 2010: Reminder- Student visa appointment information.
Customers who need to book student visa appointments at the visa
application centres in North India are reminded to look at the
updated guidance on the "schedule an appointment"
page.
7 January 2010: Changes to the child visitor immigration
rules from 1 January 2010. The changes apply to exchange or
educational visits to a school in the UK for up to 6 months. For
more information about the changes please visit the UK
Border Agency website.
