Luanda - The UK (United Kingdom) ambassador to Angola, Bharat Joshi, said on Thursday (Feb 20), in Luanda, that it is his country's intention to strengthen bilateral ties in the field of migration to ensure that UKVI services are accessible to national citizens.
According to the diplomat, this intention is made clear in the partnership between the United Kingdom's Visa and Immigration Services and VFS Global, which was made official on Thursday, in Luanda, a United Kingdom Visa Application Center for Angola residents.
"This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to strengthening ties between the UK and Angola with the aim of ensuring that UKVI services are accessible to all", the also UK ambassador to São Tomé and Príncipe highlighted.
Bharat Joshi considered this commercial partnership important as "the aforementioned center will offer high-quality visa services and improve the visa issuance experience in Angola, including a variety of additional activities".
The opening of this infrastructure, he highlighted, represents a significant advance in the modernization and accessibility of visa services for the United Kingdom in Angola, providing a more agile and secure process for applicants.
The diplomat added that the "VFS-GLOBAL Visa Center" aims to improve the applicant's experience through modern facilities and faster service, ensuring an efficient and safe service, using cutting-edge technology for data and document processing.
Likewise, it appears to facilitate the international mobility of Angolan citizens and residents, boosting ties between both parties, supporting the objectives of the British Govt and promoting a structured and efficient immigration policy.
On the occasion, the head of VFS for Sub-Saharan Africa, Alok Singhal, stressed that the creation of the Center was so important because applicants in Angola will also be able to opt for the UKVI Priority Visa service for different applications.
In this particular aspect, he highlighted requests for a "visa" for tourist visits, work or studies, indicating that this will ensure that visa decision-makers will give priority to the request at all stages of the process.
“We are excited to embark on this new journey with UK Visas and Immigration here in Luanda. We have maintained a long-standing partnership since 2003 and we are looking forward to now offering Angolan travelers our excellent services", he assured.
According to him, VFS Global's "Keep My Passport While Applying" service allows applicants to keep their passports after submitting the application and collecting biometric data, only needing to redeliver them when a decision is made.
The UK Visas and Immigration Department aims to make a decision on a Priority Visa application and contact applicants to collect their passport within 5 days of submitting biometric data.
As a world-leading specialist in "outsourcing" and technology services, VFS Global embraces technological innovation, including "generative AI", to support Governments and diplomatic missions around the world.
It has over 3,500 Application Centers in 153 countries, including Angola, having efficiently processed more than 305 million visa applications since 2001.
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