A new service aiming to expedite UK visa applications within just 24 hours will soon be expanded to include student applicants, it was announced Monday by the Consulate General of the UK in Shanghai.
A total of 100 "super priority" appointments will be made available each day to Tier 4 applicants who choose to visit one of the UK's Beijing, Guangzhou or Shanghai visa application centers between August and October.
During peak application periods, UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) is likely to receive up to 800 Tier 4 applications per day across China. The number of daily slots may be increased in the future depending on demand. The 10-week trial could be made permanent if successful. Students will also continue to have access to the three-five day priority visa service at all 15 visa application centers.
"The UK continues to welcome the brightest and best students from China who wish to study at our world-class institutions," Dominique Hardy, Regional Director for UK Visas & Immigration, Asia Pacific, said. "The expansion of our 'super priority' visa service to Tier 4 applicants is the latest in a series of changes we have made to create a quicker, easier and even more convenient process for our customers."
The UK is committed to delivering excellent visa services in China. By March of this year, UKVI had already received 118,000 applications through their three-five day priority visa service. In the same period, it received 3,000 "super priority" visa service applications.
In response to increasing demand in China, UKVI has opened three new visa application centers in Changsha, Kunming and Xi'an in June and July, bringing the UK's visa application center network to 15. Its existing visa application centers in Beijing and Guangzhou were also enlarged in preparation for the peak application period.
