The move is meant to make it easier for Nigerians, especially those in the southeast and south-south regions, to apply for UK visas, just in time for the summer travel season.
VFS Global, the company handling UK visa applications, has set up these new premium centres at Omedel Luxury Hotel in Enugu and Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt.
This will give applicants in those areas a more convenient option instead of travelling to Abuja or Lagos.
The UK Home Office said in a statement on Monday that these new locations were created to help manage the growing number of visa applications from Nigerians.
Appointments at both centres can be booked online through the VFS Global website.
These new centres will operate alongside the existing ones in Abuja, Ikeja, and Victoria Island, which have been active since November 2024.
According to the UK government, Nigeria ranks among the top four countries for UK visa applications, accounting for around 6% of all applications globally.
UK Minister of State at the Home Office, Rt. Hon. Lord Hanson, said reopening premium centres in Port Harcourt and Enugu reflects the UK’s commitment to improving visa access for Nigerians.
He said, “The government is pleased to be able to reopen the Premium Visa Application Centres in both Port Harcourt and Enugu.
“In 2024 we received more than 230,000 visa applications from Nigerian nationals across all visa routes and these new premium application centres will provide greater convenience for applicants in and around Enugu and Rivers State demonstrating the importance of the UK – Nigeria relationship in these markets as well as Nigeria as a whole.”
Alok Singhal, who heads Sub-Saharan Africa operations for VFS Global, said the new centres will offer the same high-quality service applicants get in Abuja and Lagos.
He added that the goal is to serve more travellers by bringing visa services closer to them.
“We are pleased to open the additional, conveniently located touchpoints for our UK visa customers in the form of the recently opened Premium Application Centres in Enugu and Port Harcourt, Nigeria, which help us cater to a larger number of travellers to the UK.
“Our customers will continue to enjoy the same comfort, convenience, and best-in-class services at these locations that they do at our Visa Application Centres in Abuja and Lagos,” he said.
In addition to the basic visa application process, the new premium centres offer extra services like help with uploading documents, tracking updates, courier delivery of documents, and the option to keep your passport while the visa is being processed.
VFS Global has been working with UK Visas and Immigration since 2003 and currently runs over 3,500 visa application centres in 158 countries.
The company has handled more than 309 million applications since it launched in 2001.
KanyiDaily recalls that the UK Embassy in Nigeria recently announced that its visa application centres are undergoing a change, with a new supplier taking over the management.
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