Lucknow:
Expanding their footprint in UP, UK visa service was today started in Lucknow, which will encourage more people from the state to visit Britain for tourism, study and investment purpose, British High Commissioner to India Dominic Asquith said.
“I am delighted to visit the most populous state to find out how UP and UK can work more closely together,” he said welcoming the first batch of applicants at the visa centre which was inaugurated today.
“The UK already has more visa application centres in India than any other country and I am pleased that we are expanding our footprints in UP. There has been a growing demand for UK visas from the state and we hope that it will encourage more people from UP to think of the UK for tourism, study, trade and investments,” High Commission press release quoted him as saying.
“New visa centre was announced during the UK Immigration Minister’s visit to India. During the visit he had also announced a number of other improvements including a new application form for visitors and allowing first time visitors to use the priority visa service,” said Nick Crouch UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) regional director of South and Southeast Asia.
The new visa service will be available on the third Tuesday of every month and will allow people to apply for UK visa in Lucknow for the first time.
These improvements have been well received and are all part of UKVI’s strategy to make it quicker and easier for Indian citizens to apply for UK visas, Crouch said.
The British High Commissioner also met Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to discuss how the UK and UP could work more closely together.
