VFS Global has begun operating UK visa services in Kenya as part of its expanded contract to handle visa processing in 142 countries worldwide. The transition, effective October 22, introduces new visa application centers in Nairobi and Mombasa, offering Kenyan residents additional services and flexibility in their UK visa application process.
The company’s new state-of-the-art centers are located at Principal Place in Westlands, Nairobi, and Imaara-The New Address building in Mombasa. The Nairobi facility operates Monday through Friday, while the Mombasa location provides services on Tuesdays, excluding public holidays.
Several optional services are now available to visa applicants, including:
- Document upload assistance
- Prime Time application submission outside regular business hours
- SMS notifications for application updates
- Document checking service
- Courier return of passports
- On-Demand Mobile Visa Service (Nairobi only)
- Keep My Passport While Applying Service
The Mobile Visa service, exclusive to Nairobi, allows applicants to submit their applications from any location, whether home or office. The passport retention service enables applicants to keep their passports after submitting biometric data, only returning them once a decision has been made.
Operating hours at both locations run from 8 AM to 5 PM, with specific windows for different services. Standard application submissions are accepted from 8 AM to 3 PM, while passport collection occurs between 12 PM and 3 PM. Prime Time services operate during separate hours, with submissions from 3 PM to 4 PM and collections from 10 AM to 12 PM.
Alok Singhal, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at VFS Global, emphasized the company’s established relationship with UK Visas and Immigration, stating, “We have enjoyed a long-standing partnership with UK Visas and Immigration since 2003 and look forward to now bringing travelers from Kenya our best-in-class services.”
Prior to this expanded contract, VFS Global managed UK visa services in 58 countries. The company’s African operations now cover 31 countries as of October 2024.
VFS Global, headquartered in Zurich and majority-owned by Blackstone Inc-managed investment funds, has processed over 297 million applications since 2001. The company operates more than 3,400 Application Centres across 153 countries, serving 69 client governments. Their services include the use of Generative AI and other technological innovations while maintaining a focus on ethical practices and sustainability.
Applicants can book appointments and services through the official website at https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ken/en/gbr or at the Visa Application Centers during their appointment.
