The UK Border Agency and the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi are today delighted to announce the re-opening of the newly-refurbished UK Visa Application Centre in Khalidiya, Abu Dhabi
The Application Centre was inaugurated by the Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency, Lin Homer, and Her Majesty's Ambassador to the UAE, Edward Oakden. The opening ceremony was also attended by Carol Maddison, Regional Marketing Manager for VisitBritain, and senior UKBA officials.
The new, larger, premises have been created in response to consumer demand, in the light of feedback since the Visa Application Centre was first established in September 2007.
So, the new-look, state-of-the-art centre provides additional seating capacity, including a family seating area, more submission desks and more biometric enrolment stations to speed up processing, and a new and bigger space for premium service customers, incorporating a separate entrance . There have also been improvements to the signposts to the Centre both inside the building and on the street outside.
The application centre also now for the first time includes a separate VisitBritain kiosk where customers can find tourist information for their UK visit and buy a range of products including admission tickets for top attractions such as Madame Tussauds and the London Eye. The application centre also continues to provide a British Council desk where customers can book English language exams, including IELTS.
Speaking to the press Ambassador Edward Oakden said: "The British Government warmly welcomes UAE and other properly qualified travellers to the UK, and is committed to ensuring that the process of securing a UK visa should be as simple, swift, straightforward, family-friendly and culturally sensitive as possible. Our Visa Application Centre represents a step-change in customer service for visa applicants. It opened in September 2007, and has been very popular. Satisfaction ratings from our customers have consistently been in the 80-90% range. But we want it to be even better, including for the coming summer peak season. We are always ready to listen to our customers' views on how we can improve, and what you see today is what our customers told us they wanted: more space, better signage, a bigger premium lounge. We are also adding valuable services such as the VisitBritain kiosk, in addition to the British Council exam-booking desk, . This brings together under one roof three of the most sought-after services for visitors to the UK."
VisitBritain's Carol Maddison said: "Over the last few years, we are delighted that the number of Middle East travelers visiting Britain has increased. We want to encourage still more to visit. The VisitBritain kiosk set up in the newly refurbished VAC in Abu Dhabi now makes it possible for travellers to get detailed tourist information for their visit and purchase tickets for attractions before they travel."
The Visa Application Centre in Abu Dhabi opened on 27 September 2007. An additional VAC operates in Dubai.
The Abu Dhabi VAC is located at
Level O2
Khalidya Tower
1st Zayed Street (Al Khalidya Street)
Al Khalidya Area
Abu Dhabi - UAE
The Dubai VAC is moving from its current location in the Burjuman Centre to new and larger premises in Umm Hurair. The new premises will open in late April 2009.
The VACs accept applications but have no part in the visa decision-making process which continues to be done at the British Embassies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai by UKBA staff. Passports and visas are returned to the VAC for collection by customers.
Customer satisfaction ratings for the UAE VACs gave an overall score of 96% of customers satisfied or neutral about their application experience, but ratings were lower for the speed of processing (86%), waiting time (79%) and spaciousness of premises (85%)
UKBA processed 72,745 applications in UAE 2008-9, of which 24,614 (34%) were from Emirati citizens. This is up from 20.015 Emirati applications in 2007-8.
Over 99.6% of Emirati visa applications are granted.
The majority of UAE citizens take advantage of our long-term premium visas valid for up to 10 years, representing both convenience and value for money.
The VAC is operated by UKBA's commercial partner, VFS Global, a subsidiary of the Kuoni travel company. VFS operates visa application centres on behalf of diplomatic missions in 42 countries wordwide.
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For more information on visa application procedures in UAE visit www.vfs-uk-ae.com
For more information on visiting the UK visit www.visitbritain.com
For more information about the UK Border Agency visit: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/
© Press Release 2009
