UKVCAS Centres: Guide to UK Visa Services

ukvcas centres

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If you’re currently applying for further leave to remain, settlement or naturalisation from within the UK, you will most likely need to make an appointment with UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) at one of the UKVCAS centres for your application to be processed.

UKVCAS is the digital system, launched by the Home Office in 2018, to administer all UK visa, settlement and citizenship applications submitted within the country. As of October 2024, UKVCAS are being managed by a new service provider, TLS Contact.

When you submit your online application, you will be told whether you need to use the services of UKVCAS to complete your application. The appointment is used to verify your identity, your biometric information will be enrolled, and any supporting documentation for the application will be digitised and checked.

UKVCAS is then responsible for submitting any biometric information and supporting documentation to UKVI for processing to be completed and a decision to be made.

With limited availability of appointments and in many cases, the need to travel some distance to a centre that will cater for your application needs, it’s critical for your application that everything is in order before you book and attend your appointment. All appointments at any UKVCAS centre must also be made in advance.

 

 

Where are the UKVCAS centres?

 

Centre locations, facilities and fees are subject to change and applicants are advised to check the UKVCAS website before making their application to confirm opening times, addresses and service availability:

 

Location Service Point Opening Days
Oxford TLScontact Oxford – UKVCAS Service Point Oxford Westgate Monday – Friday except public holidays
Swindon TLScontact Swindon – UKVCAS Service Point Regus, Windmill Hill Monday – Friday except public holidays
Leeds TLScontact Leeds – VCAS service point Regus, Princes Exchange Monday – Friday except public holidays
London (Gee Street) TLScontact London – UKVCAS Service Point Ground floor, 15-27 Monday – Friday except public holidays
Newcastle TLScontact Newcastle – UKVCAS Service Point Regus Newcastle Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday except public holidays
Leicester Pitman Training Leicester – UKVCAS Service Point Suite 12 Monday – Friday except public holidays
London (Enfield) Enfield Town Library – UKVCAS Service Point Enfield Town Monday – Friday except public holidays
London (Stratford) Stratford Library Site – UKVCAS Service Point 3 The Grove Monday – Friday except public holidays
Reading Reading Central Library – UKVCAS Service Point Reading Monday except public holidays
Southampton TLScontact Southampton – UKVCAS Service Point 31 Monday – Friday except public holidays
Wolverhampton Wolverhampton Library Site – Central Library, Snow Hill Monday except public holidays
Aberdeen TLScontact Aberdeen – UKVCAS Service Point Regus, 1 Berry Street Monday – Friday except public holidays
Belfast TLScontact Belfast – UKVCAS Service Point Regus, Forsyth Monday – Friday except public holidays
Cardiff TLScontact Cardiff – UKVCAS Service Point Regus, 5th floor Monday – Friday except public holidays
Liverpool TLScontact Liverpool – UKVCAS Service Point Cotton Exchange Monday – Friday except public holidays
Nottingham TLScontact Nottingham – UKVCAS Service Point Regus, 6th Monday – Friday except public holidays
Exeter TLScontact Exeter – UKVCAS Service Point Park Five Business Monday – Friday except public holidays
Norwich TLScontact Norwich – UKVCAS Service Point Sackville Place Monday – Friday except public holidays
Birmingham TLScontact Birmingham – UKVCAS Service Point Ground Monday – Friday except public holidays
Bristol TLScontact Bristol – UKVCAS Service Point Regus, Castlemead Monday – Friday except public holidays
Croydon TLScontact Croydon – UKVCAS Service Point The Lansdowne Monday – Friday except public holidays
Edinburgh TLScontact Edinburgh – UKVCAS Service Point Edinburgh, Abbey Monday – Friday except public holidays
Glasgow TLScontact Glasgow – UKVCAS Service Point Spaces, 1 West Monday – Friday except public holidays
Maidstone TLScontact Maidstone – UKVCAS Service Point 114 Kestrel House Monday – Friday except public holidays
Manchester TLScontact Manchester – UKVCAS Service Point (The Junction) Monday – Friday except public holidays
Peterborough TLScontact Peterborough – UKVCAS Service Point Soft Monday – Friday except public holidays
Sheffield Pitman Training Sheffield – UKVCAS Service Point, 5th Floor Monday – Friday except public holidays
London (Wandsworth) TLScontact London Wandsworth – UKVCAS Service Point Ram Monday – Friday except public holidays
Cambridge Cambridge Central Library – UKVCAS Service Point 7 Lion Monday – Friday except public holidays
Chelmsford TLScontact Chelmsford – UKVCAS Service Point Market Rd Monday – Friday except public holidays
Luton TLScontact Luton – UKVCAS Service Point Regus, 960 Monday – Friday except public holidays

How do I book an appointment at a UKVCAS centre?

 

You can only attend a service point if you have an appointment.

You can book an appointment up to 28 days in advance at any of the service points. You can book an appointment in the following two ways:

  • Online by either clicking the link to book an appointment from your UKVI account or by clicking the link in the UKVCAS account setup email you have been sent.
  • By telephone by calling UKVCAS Support Line.

 

Free appointments are made available on the online booking system at 09.00, while chargeable appointments are released at midnight.

When booking an appointment you will be asked to choose a location by inputting a postcode convenient to you, and to choose a date and time from the available slots.

If you are unable to find an appointment at your desired location, date or time, you can search again using a different postcode or click on the link to see appointment availability for the following week.

You can book an appointment for yourself, or for a group of people where you all hold what’s known as a lead applicant/dependent relationship. If you have applied offline by making a paper application to UKVI directly, you will need to go through the appointment booking process for each group member separately.

 

What happens at your UKVCAS appointment?

 

At your UKVCAS appointment, you will have your identity confirmed, enrol any biometric information that may be required, and submit any documentation in support that you have not already uploaded online.

As such, you will need to attend with your supporting documentation, where required. You will be provided with a list of supporting documents you need to provide when you submit your application. You will also need to take your appointment confirmation email, and your passport or travel document.

At your appointment, you will be asked to provide any required biometric information, namely, a digital photograph of your face, a scan of your fingerprints and a digital copy of your signature. Any documentation not already uploaded will be digitised and checked. Finally, you will need to confirm that you are happy to send your application to UKVI.

The appointment time itself is relatively quick and can take as little as between half an hour to one hour.

Following your appointment, UKVCAS will then submit your biometric information and supporting documentation to UKVI for a decision to be made. This will usually take around eight weeks, unless you have paid for a priority service.

 

Author

Founder and Managing Director Anne Morris is a fully qualified solicitor and trusted adviser to large corporates through to SMEs, providing strategic immigration and global mobility advice to support employers with UK operations to meet their workforce needs through corporate immigration.

She is a recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers as a legal expert and delivers Board-level advice on business migration and compliance risk management as well as overseeing the firm’s development of new client propositions and delivery of cost and time efficient processing of applications.

Anne is an active public speaker, immigration commentator, and immigration policy contributor and regularly hosts training sessions for employers and HR professionals

About DavidsonMorris

As employer solutions lawyers, DavidsonMorris offers a complete and cost-effective capability to meet employers’ needs across UK immigration and employment law, HR and global mobility.

Led by Anne Morris, one of the UK’s preeminent immigration lawyers, and with rankings in The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, we’re a multi-disciplinary team helping organisations to meet their people objectives, while reducing legal risk and nurturing workforce relations.

Read more about DavidsonMorris here

 

Legal Disclaimer

The matters contained in this article are intended to be for general information purposes only. This article does not constitute legal advice, nor is it a complete or authoritative statement of the law, and should not be treated as such. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information is correct at the time of writing, no warranty, express or implied, is given as to its accuracy and no liability is accepted for any error or omission. Before acting on any of the information contained herein, expert legal advice should be sought.

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