UK high commissioner Alex Ellis gives BIG update on processing visa applications for Indians, check details

On Tuesday, British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis gave a big update regarding at they are on track to get back to processing India to UK visa applications within their standard of 15 days.

“We are on track to get back to processing India to Great Britain #visa applications within our standard of 15 days,” tweeted Ellis. He said that Indian student numbers are up by 89 percent since 2021 and skilled workers’ visas bring processed faster with a focus on improving visitor visa processing times.

“The good news is we are now getting back on track. We have dealt with an unprecedented surge in demand for student visas, 89 percent up last year. We are turning right off skilled worker visas very fast. And now we are focussing on visitor visas to get them back within 15 days,” said the British High Commissioner.

Notably, the combination of an unprecedented surge in demand for travel from India to the UK, combined with the effects of Covid-19 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, meant that UK visa processing got well outside of a 15-day working standard. “We are doing that through a collective effort of our teams in Delhi, in the UK, and all over the world. I am glad to say, I think we are now on track,” said Ellis.

He also said that the UK had good availability in visa application centres and urged applicants to apply for visas earlier.

He also advised the applicants to provide the information as requested. “Make sure you provide the information requested, not just the information which you want to give. And together, I think we can get right down to the 15-day work service standard by the end of this year. That’s my aim. So, good news, we are on track and I think we can get well on track over the next few weeks,” added the British High Commissioner.