Category Archive UK Spouse Visa

UK Visa application centres are changing !

Visa application centres are operated by commercial partners (also known as ‘suppliers’) on behalf of UK Visas and Immigration.

In some locations, the commercial partner will change.

This means you may start your visa application with one commercial partner and finish it with another commercial partner.

Applications inside the UK

On 15 October, the commercial partner for UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services will change from Sopra Steria to TLScontact. Appointments on or after 15 October will be at TLScontact service points.

Appointment availability may be limited for a short period of time.

Why not contact Wafi Solicitors to assist you with your application – Call 02071933839 now!

This change will not affect:

• the decision on your application
• how long it takes to get a decision

Applications outside the UK

Between September 2024 and January 2025, the commercial partner will change from TLScontact to VFS Global in some locations in:

• Africa
• Europe
• the Middle East
• Central Asia

Other parts of the world are not affected.

What you need to do

If your application is affected, you will get emails from TLScontact and VFS Global.

Read all emails you receive from TLScontact and VFS Global. They may have actions you need to take to continue your application.

Check your junk folders to make sure you have not missed anything.

To confirm the email is genuine, check the sender’s email address ends in either:

• @tlscontact.com
• @vfsglobal.com

If you booked an appointment with TLScontact

Attend your appointment as normal. Check your email confirmation for the address of your appointment.

If you change your appointment, you may need to pay the mandatory user pay (MUP) fee again. If this happens, ask TLScontact to refund your MUP fee.

If you want to get in touch about the service you received from TLScontact, go to the TLScontact website. Choose the relevant country and visa application centre, then follow the link to the help page.

What will not be affected

These changes will not affect:

• the decision on your application
• how long it takes to get a decision

Locations changing commercial partner

From 22 October, VFS Global will operate visa application centres in these locations:

• Algeria
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Gabon
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Ivory Coast
• Kenya
• Madagascar
• Mauritius
• Morocco
• Seychelles
• South Africa
• Tunisia

From 5 November, VFS Global will operate visa application centres in these locations:

• Cyprus (North)
• France
• Iraq
• Israel
• Jordan
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Lebanon
• the Occupied Palestinian Territories
• Tajikistan
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• Uzbekistan

Locations that have already changed commercial partner

The visa application centre in Belgium is now operated by VFS Global.

Other locations

More locations will be added to this page. Get emails about this page to find out when it is updated.

Find a visa application centre for opening times, addresses and contact details.

The UK Home Secretary, Mr James Cleverly has announced his plan to slash UK migration levels and curb abuse of the immigration system, he wants to deliver the biggest ever reduction in net migration. He believes that his new package will mean about 300,000 will not be able to came to the UK compared to last year.

Avoid getting your family stuck abroad, forced to pay fees that you could have avoided by acting sooner, contact us now for support. saleh@wafi.co.uk or call 02071935178. We offer FREE initial telephone case assessment and guidance and can save you up to £1,233 in UK government fees.

The Home Office hopes that the package of measures will end the high numbers of dependants coming to the UK, increase the minimum salaries that British or settled people sponsoring family members must earn, and deal with perceived exploitation across the immigration system.  

Mr Cleverly said that the government will also tighten the Health and Care Worker visas, which has seen a significant number of visas granted to care workers and their dependants, this will be done by preventing overseas care workers from bringing their family and dependants to the UK. In addition, care providers in England will now only be able to sponsor migrant workers if they are undertaking activities regulated by the Care Quality Commission. This will further reduce the number of care providers who are able to hire foreign workers.  

According to Home Office figures, in the year ending September 2023, 101,000 Health and Care Worker visas were issued to care workers and senior care workers, with an estimated 120,000 visas granted to associated dependants, the majority of whom do not work, but still make use of public services. This is of course likely as children do not work and also parent who care for them are unlikely to work too.

From next spring, the government will increase the earning threshold for overseas workers by nearly 50% from the current minimum salary requirement, so £26,200 increased to £38,700, encouraging businesses to look to British talent first and invest in their workforce, thus deter UK employers from over-relying on migration, while bringing salaries in line with the average full-time salary for these types of jobs. The government will also increase the minimum income required for British citizens and those settled in the UK who want their family members to join them. It is believed around 50% of spouse visa applicants will be unable to meet the new salary requirements.

To reduce numbers further, the government will end the 20% going-rate salary discount for shortage occupations and replace the Shortage Occupation List with a new Immigration Salary List, which will retain a general threshold discount. The Migration Advisory Committee will now review the new list against the increased salary thresholds in order to reduce the number of occupations on the list.

The Migration Advisory Committee will also be asked to review the Graduate visa route to ensure it works in the best interests of the UK and to ensure steps are being taken to prevent abuse.

This new package of measures builds on the tough action already taken where foreign students were due to be stopped from brining dependants to the UK, which will come into force in 2024. This, along with the changes announced as regards increased salary requirements, will make migration to the UK more difficult.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:   

It is clear that net migration remains far too high. By leaving the European Union we gained control over who can come to the UK, but far more must be done to bring those numbers down so British workers are not undercut and our public services put under less strain.

My plan will deliver the biggest ever reduction in net migration and will mean around 300,000 people who came to the UK last year would not have been able to do so. I am taking decisive action to halt the drastic rise in our work visa routes and crack down on those who seek to take advantage of our hospitality.

In addition to measures to reduce migration, the government is increasing the annual Immigration Health Surcharge from £624 to £1,035 this of course will make it more costly (£3,105 for initial spouse visa) and difficult for UK settled partner to bring his foreign partner and non-British children to the UK.

Please contact us to discuss your case and how you could benefit from our support which includes guidance, documents support and how best to proceed so that your partner and loved one does not get blocked from the UK due to this hostile new immigration package deliberately designed to keep workers and partners out for good.

Avoid getting your family stuck abroad, Avoid paying £££’s in fees that you could have avoided by acting sooner, contact us now email saleh@wafi.co.uk or call 02071935178. We offer FREE initial telephone / email case assessment and guidance and can save you up to £1,233 in UK government fees alone.

The Spouse Visa Priority Visa Decision Service is back, since 20 February 2023. Now you can pay extra to get a faster decision. This is for new marriage and family visa applications submitted outside the UK. Applicants can expect to receive a decision within 30 working days.

WE can help you secure your loved ones visa and also fast. We are getting decisions ranging from 3 to 5 weeks at present. Contact us now and your family could be in the UK sooner than you think.

For applications lodged in the UK we can get the Super Priority Service. This is where the applicant is already in the UK and wants the same day / next day decision. We can help get the service and so you can move on with your life and not worry about the visa.

Call 02071935178 now to discuss your case. Case overview discussions are free and can help you avoid delays and uncertainties. For more in-depth discussions and assessments we can offer our assessment and consultation service (fees from £99 and usually no VAT is chargeable).