KEY POINTS
- The UK replaces TLScontact with VFS Global in Ghana.
- The new visa center aims to provide faster biometric submissions and clearer service options.
- The TLScontact center will close on November 15, 2024.
The UK government has officially switched its visa application service provider in Ghana from TLScontact to VFSGlobal, effective from October 22, 2024. The move is aimed at enhancing the overall experience of visa applicants, offering shorter biometric submission times and improved service delivery.
Transition to VFS Global
As published by Graphic Online, the UK’s decision to replace TLScontact with VFS Global as the third-party visa application center supplier in Ghana is part of a broader effort to improve the quality of services in the visa application process. All applicants will now need to complete their visa applications with VFS Global, even if they initially started their applications with TLScontact.
The new UK visa application center will be located at the Mezzanine Floor, Grand Oyeeman Building, South Liberation Link in Accra. This transition is designed to ensure smoother and faster visa application submissions. The UK government has emphasized that the change will not impact visa application decisions, processing times, or associated fees.
Enhancing application services
According to a press statement from the UK government, the switch to VFSGlobal is expected to result in shorter biometric submission times, as well as an average passport collection time of just 20 minutes. In addition, the new center aims to provide applicants with clearer information to differentiate between free and paid services, ensuring transparency.
Furthermore, any Ghanaian applicants who have already submitted their applications through TLScontact but are yet to receive a decision will have their documents securely transferred to VFSGlobal. The UK government has assured applicants that they will be informed via email if the changes affect them.
Closing of TLScontact Center
The current TLS contact center in Accra will officially close on November 15, 2024, marking the full transition of visa application services to VFS Global. The company has stated that applicants who already have appointments with TLScontact for the current month will not see any changes to their scheduled appointments. After November 15, all new visa applications will automatically be handled by VFS Global.
The UK government has reiterated that the recent changes are aimed solely at improving the visa application process and will not influence the visa process itself, immigration rules, or the cost of visa applications.
