The United Kingdom Visas and Immigration has announced a transition from TLScontact to VFS Global as the official commercial partner for visa application services in Nigeria.
According to a statement on the UK government official website, the transition was part of a broader shift affecting several regions across the world and will take effect on November 19, 2024.
LEADERSHIP understands that visa application centres (VACs) operate under commercial partners, known as suppliers, who handle application processes on behalf of UK Visas and Immigration.
Following the recent announcement, applicants in certain locations may begin their application process with one partner and complete it with another, creating a need for awareness and adaptability among prospective visa seekers.
The UK government noted that the transition from TLScontact to VFS Global will take place in phases for different regions.
Nigeria will from 19 November 2024, join this list, with VFS Global taking over the management of visa application centres.
While countries like Cyprus (North), France, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan will transition to VFS Global from 5 November 2024.
Nigerians applying for UK visas are advised to stay informed and vigilant during this transition by watching for emails since affected applicants will receive communications from both TLScontact and VFS Global.
They also advocated thorough email verification, stressing that applicants must ensure the email received are from addresses ending in @tlscontact.com or @vfsglobal.com.
The UK government also encouraged applicants to attend appointments.
They also noted that applicants who have paid the mandatory User Pay (MUP) fees to TLScontact when booking appointment, may need to pay again if appointments are changed to one with VFS Global.
The transition will also result in changes to the addresses and opening hours of some visa application centres.
However, it’s important to note that the changes will not affect the decision-making process for applications or the duration it takes to receive a decision.
