Chennai: From December 16, 2013, all UK visa applicants in India who are making a new application will have to pay their visa fees online via Visa or MasterCard debit or credit cards or via e-wallet (PayPal or Skrill).
Customers in India already apply for their visa on-line, however, new customers will also have to also pay for their visa online, as part of the online application process. Other methods of payment, including payment at the visa application centre, will be discontinued effective from December 16, 2013, for those making applications on or after this date. The Visa Application Centres will not be accepting the visa fees either in cash or demand draft.
In a statement, Thomas Greig, UK Visas & Immigration Regional Director for Central Asia, South Asia and Turkey said, “The move to online applications and payments India will deliver a streamlined application process and is consistent with a wider global trend to online transactions and payments. This is part of our on-going commitment to offer the best service to our Indian customers. It is also part of the Home Office’s programme of modernisation. It meets the requirements of the UK Government’s Digital by Default initiative and will help cut costs in the management of the visas operation, which in turn helps to keep visa fees down. It will also be a safer and more flexible system for both customers and staff as it reduces the risk associated with cash payment.”
Some points to remember / useful tips:
- Applicants can pay online using Visa or MasterCard debit or credit cards or via e-wallet (Skrill).
- If the applicant needs to create an e-wallet account, they need to do this a few days before they apply to ensure that the funds will be available to use
- Payment online will need to be made in INR.
- When the applicants have paid their fee online via Visa4UK, they will receive a payment confirmation email from WorldPay. They should print off this confirmation email and take it with them to the visa application centre when they submit the rest of their visa application.
- Applicants intending to travel on work, study or settlement visas can ask their UK sponsor to make the online payment. Those applying for visit visas can also ask their travel agent to pay for their visa application as part of a package when booking flights and/or accommodation.
- Applicants who have applied and made online payment for their visa will still have to attend the visa application centre to submit their documents and provide their biometric data, including fingerprints and digital photograph.
- For applicants who have completed their online application form prior to December 16, 2013, they will still be able to use other payment methods currently available, until January 14, 2013. From January 14, 2013, we will only accept visa applications with online payment.
Kerala IT News