Permanent Visa Application Centre opens in Minsk
On 15 January UK Visas and Immigration鈥檚 commercial partner, Teleperformance, opened its permanent Visa Application Centre in Minsk.
Ambassador Bruce Bucknell speaks at the opening of the new Visa Application Centre in Minsk
Her Majesty鈥檚 Ambassador to the Republic of Belarus, Bruce Bucknell officially opened the UK鈥檚 new Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Minsk on 15 January. This is the UK鈥檚 first commercially operated VAC in Belarus and the 50th, and final, VAC opened in UKVI Immigration鈥檚 EuroMed region.
Customers should now submit their applications and provide biometric details at the address below:
Business Centre Nemiga City
40 Nemiga Street
Minsk 220004
Belarus
Based in a central Minsk location, the purpose built facility is operated by UKVI鈥檚 commercial partner, Teleperformance. Once submitted, applications are transported to Moscow where UKVI staff aim to process all non-settlement applications within 15 working days
Bruce Bucknell was joined by UKVI鈥檚 Regional Operations Manager for Russia and Belarus, Andy Newlands, and the Teleperformance zone manager for the region, Marina Dolotova. Key stakeholders from business, education and travel industries attended the opening along with representation from the Belarusian and other governments. Attendees were impressed by the smart, professional appearance of the new centre.
Prior to cutting the opening ribbon, Bruce Bracknell said:
I鈥檓 delighted that the UK Visa Application Centre is open. I hope that it will provide a good quality service to Belarusian visa applicants
This is also a good example of a public-private partnership in action. The outsourcing of the application centre allows more visa application points around the world, while delivering efficiency savings for the British government and taxpayer.
The Visa Application Centre has been running successfully since late last year enabling UK visa customers to submit their applications, along with the necessary biometric details, in Belarus. Customers applying at the new Visa Application Centre have the option of requesting a range of additional services from Teleperformance. These include use of the premium lounge, direct courier return and a Priority Visa Service (PVS) where, for an additional fee, customers can have their application placed at the front of the queue.
More details on how to find the VAC and the additional services available and further information about the VAC are available via the