Visas for the UK

How to apply for a UK visa 

Where can I get information?

The UK Border Agency and the British Embassy/High Commission [Insert Post Name and delete as appropriate] work in partnership with a commercial organisation, [insert Company Name].  

You can find out whether you need a visa and how to apply through [insert Company name] website  [link].  [insert Company name] also provides information through an e-mail and telephone enquiry service, the number is [insert telephone number] and costs US$[insert cost]. All the information provided is supplied and approved by the UK Border Agency.

Do I have to pay?

There is a charge for using the phone service, but information from the website and by email is free of charge.

[OR for posts where there is no phone charge insert: No, all information is provided free of charge in [country] ]

Where can I get advice?

[insert company name] and its staff cannot give you advice on how to complete your application, or what type of visa you should apply for.   If you need help with your application or advice about the UK's immigration rules and requirements, you should seek advice from a qualified immigration adviser. In the UK these are immigration advisers regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner  or legally qualified professionals regulated by designated professional bodies.  Their websites are:

• Law Society of England and Wales
• Law Society of Scotland
• Law Society of Northern Ireland
• Institute of Legal Executives

How do I submit my application?

[For VAC countries:]

[insert Company name] manages Visa Application Centres in [insert names of VAC locations in country], where you should submit your application and your biometric fingerscans.

[For non-VAC countries:]

You should submit your application through our online application service  at the Visa Section of the British Embassy/ High Commission [delete as appropriate].

Who decides whether I will get a visa?

UK Border Agency staff will process and decide your visa application. [Insert company name] and its staff play no part in the outcome of your visa application. They cannot influence it in any way.  If any member of staff employed by [insert Company name] say they can influence your application, you should tell the British Embassy/ High Commission [delete as appropriate] immediately.

Service standards - complaints and compliments

The UK Border Agency aims to offer a fair and professional service to all our customers.  We welcome feedback it helps us to see where we need to improve

If you have any comments, or are concerned about the standard of service you received, please let us know. We investigate all complaints fully and will send you a reply within 20 working days

• If you wish to complain about the service you received from the UK Border Agency at this Embassy/High Commission [delete as appropriate], please address your complaint to the Entry Clearance Manager at [insert postal address], or by e-mail [insert email].

• If you wish to complain about the service you received from [insert Company Name], you may submit it direct to their website, in person, or to the Entry Clearance Manager above.