BANGKOK, May 16— The United Kingdom has officially unveiled a new and improved visa centre in the Thai capital, aiming to facilitate an increasing number of visa applicants with a wider range of services.
Paul Bute, Chargé d’Affaires of the British Embassy, together with Australian Ambassador James Wise and a senior official of VFS Global jointly presided at the inauguration of the Australia & UK Visa Application centre on Wednesday.
The UK’s visa application centre relocated to its new home on the 28th floor of the Trendy Office Building on Sukhumvit Road Soi 13, which is shared premises with the Australian visa application centre.
The visa application centre aims to process to non-settlement visas in 15 working days as well as to provide improved services and facilities for an increasing number of Thais who are choosing the UK as a destination for travel, business and study.
In 2013, almost 70,000 visas were issued to Thai applicants, up 17 per cent from the previous year.
The UK’s visa application centre also provides other services: a passport pass-back service enabling visa applicants to retain their passport while their visa is being processed, a 3-5 day priority service and a prime time appointment service, which allows applicants to submit their application out of regular business hours.
However, the centre encourages the UK visa applicants to apply for their visa as early as possible. They can apply up to three months in advance of travel.
