Online Reporter
Zimpapers Writer
THE United Kingdom has opened a second visa centre in Bulawayo to complement the one in Harare.
British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pete Vowles said the new centre is a milestone in strengthening ties between the UK and Zimbabwe.
The premium application centre is at Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel and operates only on Saturdays from 9am to 3pm. The first centre in Borrowdale, Harare, has been operational since November last year.
Said Ambassador Vowles: “The opening of our new visa centre in Bulawayo marks a significant milestone in strengthening ties between the UK and Zimbabwe. It will make travel more accessible for people in the southern region and open new pathways for trade, tourism, and investment.
“Most importantly, it reflects our commitment to deepening people-to-people connections and supporting the growing demand for partnership between our two nations.”
VFS Global head for sub-Saharan Africa, Mr Alok Singhal, said they were pleased to further expand their network of conveniently located touchpoints for UK visa customers in Zimbabwe, with the launch of the new centre in Bulawayo.
“This new centre enables us to serve the growing number of travellers to the UK, offering the same comfort, convenience, and best-in-class services as our world-class visa application centre in Harare,” he said.
VFS Global is a partner to UK Visas and Immigration since 2003.
Customers who submit their documents and enrol biometrics at the two centres can enjoy a number of complementary value-added services offered by VFS Global such as document upload assistance, notification services on the status of their applications and courier return of documents.
Since the coming of the Second Republic in November 2017, relations between Zimbabwe and the UK have vastly improved, with the two seeking to deepen economic and political relations going forward.
In June, UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins of Highbury, paid a courtesy call on President Mnangagwa at State House.
His visit marked a significant moment in the ongoing dialogue between Zimbabwe and the UK, underlining the importance of collaborative efforts to address shared challenges and opportunities.
