The United Kingdom has reinstated its visa application services in Enugu and Port Harcourt, aiming to ease access for residents in southern Nigeria.

This development was confirmed by Jonny Baxter, the Deputy British High Commissioner and Head of the UK Mission in Lagos, via the UK in Nigeria’s official X account.

“I’m delighted to announce the reopening of our visa application centres in Port Harcourt and Enugu. By reopening these centres, we’re helping those of you based in the south to access our services locally, without the need to travel long distances. As before, the centres will be located in the Presidential Hotel, Port Harcourt, and Omidal Luxury Hotel, Enugu,” he said.

He noted that the facilities will provide added conveniences for applicants.

“I’m also delighted that applicants using these centres can benefit from additional services such as Keep My Passport while applying, so you can hold on to your passport until a decision is made, as well as others, the document upload support and status updates.”

This allows applicants to retain their passports while their applications are being processed, offering greater travel flexibility. Baxter advised early preparation to avoid delays.

“If you’re planning to travel to the UK in the coming months, whether for work, study, tourism, or to visit friends and family, please do start planning now. You can apply up to three months before your point of travel, and I really encourage you to do this, to avoid the peak period when we’re dealing with thousands of applications a day.”

He further encouraged applicants to ensure proper documentation to complete their applications effectively. The move comes after the UK transitioned visa service operations from TLScontact to VFS Global across Nigeria, a process finalized in January 2025. (Daily Independent)