VFS Global Appointed to Administer UK Government Visa, Passport Service in 142 Countries, Encompassing Regions Including Africa

• VFS Global becomes the service provider for all UK Visa and Citizenship Application Centres overseas – operating across 142 countries.
• Estimated to manage 3.8million applicants every year, VFS Global is now opening UK application centres in 84 new countries during 2024.
• New contract will also see significant investment in technology to improve the customer experience, accessibility and security.
• The UK contract is the sixth global contract won by VFS Global during 2023.
   

VFS Global, which has been a trusted partner for the UK Government since 2003, has won the global contract for overseas UK visa and Citizenship services.

In a statement, it stated that this award is the latest in a long line of wins for the world’s leading visa, passport and citizen services provider.
 
The statement remarked that during 2024, VFS Global would deploy 240 Visa and Citizenship Application Service (VCAS) Centres for the UK in 142 countries across Africa and Middle East, Americas, Australasia and Europe, China and Taiwan, and Asia and Asia Pacific regions. These centres will accept all categories of visa applications as well as UK passport applications in some locations.

The statement also stated that combined, these new centres are estimated to process 3.8 million applicants every year.
 
In the African region, VFS Global will deploy Visa and Citizenship Application Service (VCAS) Centres for the UK in 31 countries over the course of next year.

The list of locations include: Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
 
The statement said: “Beyond the scale of the deployment, VFS Global will invest to improve the customer journey and increase accessibility – including through new customer websites, and through updated in-person experiences. VFS Global will deploy its latest technologies to maintain robust identity checks and ensure the integrity of the visa and passport application process. The new contract is expected to deliver savings to the UK Government.”
 
Founder and CEO, VFS Global, Zubin Karkaria, said, “We are delighted to win this contract and expand our partnership with the Home Office to become their service provider for all UK visa customers overseas. We are excited to begin operations in new locations, and to take the next step towards providing customers with a seamless, simple and secure visa and passport application experience. This win is a testament to our dedicated efforts to provide all our client governments with best-in-class services.”
 
The statement also noted that the UK is a popular destination for travellers from across the African region with Nigeria being the one of the top four application locations.

The statement added: “This win comes soon after VFS Global being awarded the global biometric collection service mandate with Australia and renewal of the global visa service contract with Sweden.”