One more UK visa centre opened in Bengaluru

To cater to the increasing number of working visa applicants from Bengaluru, Brandon Lewis, UK immigration minister inaugurated a VAC (visa application centre) at the Brigade IRV Centre in Whitefield.

This is said to be the 18th VAC in India, with the others being located in metros such as Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai, besides one more in Langford Town in Bengaluru.

The new centre, measuring 4,000-sqft, is likely to be the main in this southern Indian city because of its size and location. The new centre will be helpful to professionals who no longer need to traverse across the Garden City to apply for UK visas.

In 2016, 60,000 UK work visas were granted to Indian nationals, and India alone accounts for nearly two-thirds of global UK visas issued every year, according to the records of the British Deputy High Commission, Bengaluru. A substantial number of tourist and student visas are also granted to Indians every year.

Stating the that the most number of UK work visas in India were granted in Bengaluru, Lewis was quoted by The Times of India as saying that this centre will make it convenient for the most talented IT workers from India to come to the UK.

This centre was opened following a series of reforms to make it faster for Indian applicants to apply for visas. The criteria were recently expanded by the UK government for 3-5 day priority, super-priority and same day services, which was previously given only to visitors.

This has, however, changed now, as students, first-time visitors, and applicants for work visas also can avail these services.

If you are looking to work in the UK, get in touch with Y-Axis, a leading consultancy for immigration services, to apply for a work visa.