Frequently Asked Questions
Please note: VFS Global does not provide updates on the status of visa applications while they are being processed, nor can we advise on UK visa applications in general. All enquiries for UK visa can be directed to UK Visas and Immigration. For more details, please visit Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK .
Please see if your query is answered below, if not, please visit the homepage of the country you are travelling from, and use the ‘Contact us’ link at the bottom of the page to get in touch.
The information on this page is regularly reviewed and updated, so please refer back to the page for the most up to date information.
eVisas are replacing physical immigration documents such as vignette stickers in passports. An eVisa is a digital record of:
- your identity and immigration status – for example, the type of visa you have
- the conditions of your status – for example, if you’re allowed to work or study in the UK
You need a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account to access your eVisa and share information about your immigration status with others, such as employers or landlords.
If your partner and children are joining you in the UK as dependants, they need their own UKVI accounts to access their eVisas.
GOV.UK provides further information on eVisas and tells you how to create your UKVI account .
eVisa only
From 30 October 2025, if you or any of your dependants make successful applications for certain work, study or family visas, or for indefinite leave to enter (settlement), you may not get a vignette (the sticker in your passport that shows permission to enter and stay in the UK).
eVisas have already replaced vignettes for some main applicants on work and study visas (for applications made on or after 15 July 2025).
When you or your dependants attend the visa application centre for your appointment, your passport will be returned to you during your appointment.
UKVI will notify you by email when a decision has been made. If you receive a successful decision, you will be told you have been issued with an eVisa only.
You should create your UKVI account, check your details are correct and access your eVisa before you travel to the UK. You will be told what to do when you get your decision.
eVisa and physical vignette
If you made a successful application for certain work, study or family visas, or for indefinite leave to enter (settlement) before 30 October 2025, you will get an eVisa and a vignette (sticker in your passport).
When you attend the visa application centre for your appointment you will leave your passport at the centre – unless you choose to pay for the Keep My Passport While Applying service.
UKVI will notify you by email when a decision has been made. If you receive a successful decision, you will be told you have been issued with a vignette and an eVisa. You will receive an email from VFS Global when your vignette and passport are ready to collect.
If you have used the Keep My Passport While Applying service, you will need to return to the visa application centre with your passport to collect your vignette.
Do not attempt to travel to the UK until you have your passport and vignette.
You should create your UKVI account, check your details are correct and access your eVisa before you travel to the UK. You will be told what to do when you get your decision.
Physical vignette
If you receive a successful decision for other visas, including visits, you will only get a vignette (sticker in your passport).
When you attend the visa application centre for your appointment you will leave your passport at the centre – unless you choose to pay for the Keep My Passport While Applying service.
You will receive an email from VFS Global when your decision has been returned to the visa application centre and you can collect your passport. If you have used the Keep My Passport While Applying service, you will need to return to the visa application centre with your passport to collect your vignette.
Do not attempt to travel to the UK until you have your passport and vignette.
Your decision notification will tell you if you should create a UKVI account. If you do not have a UKVI account already GOV.UK has information on how to create your account.
For more information and instructions on how to complete the 3 step process for creating your UKVI account watch the video How to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account and get access to your eVisa .
Once you have a UKVI account, keep it up to date and make sure it is linked to your current passport. Information on how to update your account can be found on GOV.UK.
You should create your UKVI account, access your eVisa and check your details are correct before you travel to the UK. You will be told what to do when you get your decision.
You can create your UKVI account and access your eVisa once you receive notification that your application has been successful, and you have been issued with an eVisa.
Before you travel, check that your UKVI account details and eVisa are correct and that your current passport is linked to your account. If you change your passport, you should update the details in your UKVI account immediately to avoid delays at the border when travelling.
You can also get a share code to prove your immigration status to your carrier or a border official.
If you need help with creating your UKVI account or accessing your eVisa contact UKVI using their web chat service.
If you can’t see your eVisa, you may not have fully completed the 3 step process for creating your account.
For instructions on
how to access your eVisa watch the
How to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account and get access to your eVisa
video.
If the details on your eVisa are incorrect, for example it’s showing the wrong date of birth or immigration
status, you can
report an
error with your eVisa.
If you have a vignette as well as an eVisa, you should also check your vignette for any errors and report
them by contacting
UK
Visas and Immigration
before you travel.
Please visit the GOV.UK website to determine whether you need to apply for a UK Visa and if so, the type of visa required.
The fee for each type of visa can be found on the GOV.UK website.
For information on visa processing times, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visa-processing-times-applications-outside-the-uk .
We are sorry that the VFS website wasn’t working when you came to book your appointment. Once the system is back up, applicants will need to follow the regular appointment booking process, and visit the Visa Application Centre on the date/time selected in the appointment booking system.
All customers applying for a UK visa, must first complete a Visa Application Form on the UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK) website. Once this is complete, you will be directed to the VFS website to book your biometrics appointment. Your account with VFS is created at the point when you are redirected to our website. Once you have submitted your online visa application, you will have up to 240 days to attend an appointment to provide your biometrics and complete the application process. You can change your biometric booking up to 24 hours before your scheduled appointment. You can rearrange your appointment more than once if you need to. If you are unable to attend a biometric appointment within 240 days but wish to continue with your visa application you will need to contact UKVI .
If your request is because you think travelling to a VAC would be unsafe, please refer to the Biometric enrolment guidance – unsafe journeys (publishing.service.gov.uk) before contacting UKVI.
If you have not yet submitted the form and paid for your visa but come across an error, please go
back to your application on the
UK Visas and Immigration website
to amend these details, before returning to VFS to book your biometric appointment.
If you realise that a mistake has been made after submitting the form and paying for your visa, please write a letter of explanation with the correct information. You have the option to either self-upload this document or choose the paid Document Upload Assistance service to upload it along with any other necessary supporting documents. Additionally, you can cancel your current application, request a refund and start the application again. Please click here for additional details.
If your passport is lost before your appointment, please secure a new passport and submit a fresh application with your new passport.
If your passport is lost after you have received your physical vignette, you will need to re-apply for a new visa for permission to travel to the UK.
For more details, click here .
If your passport is lost after you have received your eVisa, you should secure a new passport and update your UKVI account with the new details in order to travel to the UK.
To update your account, follow the instructions on GOV.UK: Update your UKVI account details .
Customers can select any Visa Application Centre location within the country of application, before confirming an appointment. If you wish to change your location after an appointment is confirmed, please Cancel your appointment and choose your preferred location.
UKVI services include the provision for user pays VACs (in some locations where demand is relatively low or where there are free-to-use options available), as well as optional expediting services – Priority Visa Service, and Super Priority Service. The fees for these services are regulated by the UK government and paid via VFS Global's Appointment Booking System. Additional information regarding these fees can be found here: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 1 July 2025 - GOV.UK
Whilst booking your appointment, you can select your preferred UKVI services. After the appointment is reserved and any applicable VFS services paid for, you will be redirected to your online VFS dashboard to make payment for the selected UKVI services. This payment must be completed online prior to attending the biometric appointment.
No, the payment for the user pays (UPV) fee must be completed online via your VFS dashboard after reserving your appointment and prior to attending the centre. Failure to make this payment online will result in delays at the Visa Application Centre or the requirement to reschedule the appointment.
In some locations where demand is relatively low, or where there are free-to-use options available within the same country, an additional fee is charged to cover the provision of a user-funded Visa Application Centre. This allows customers to attend an appointment at a more convenient location closer to their home. The user pays fee is a regulated fee set by the Home Office and must be paid online via your VFS dashboard after reserving your appointment and prior to attending the centre. Please find more information about UK visa fees here .
Please ensure that there are no problems with your computer/phone (that is poor broadband or Wi-Fi connection, old browser versions, any other similar problem). If you have confirmed this, and are still having issues, then please screenshot the error page(s), and visit the homepage of the country you are travelling from, and use the ‘Contact us’ link at the bottom of the page to request further assistance.
Appointments are mandatory at all Visa Application Centres at this time.
You can reschedule your appointment free of charge by logging into your account, prior to your scheduled appointment date. This link can be found on our website and is also provided in your appointment booking emails.
On your Dashboard page, select Manage Appointment, open the Appointment Details section and select Reschedule Appointment.
You may reschedule within 5 days after a missed appointment by following the instructions above for a fee of £20 (payable in local currency). You may reschedule up to 3 times after the appointment date.
All customers will be directed to our appointment booking system and will be automatically logged in with your email address and GWF number.
Each customer must book their own appointment online for the same day. All customers may come to the centre at any br appointment time booked by a member of the group and be seen together. Where the group consists of more than 5 customers, they can register on the appointment system under ‘Group appointment (more than 5 customers)’ and our team will contact them to assist with the appointment. In order to be considered as a group, all customers should be travelling for the same purpose and at the same time.
Login to your account. This link can be found on our website and is also provided in your appointment booking emails.
Select ‘Resend confirmation letter’ or ‘Print appointment letter’ from the Appointment Details section of the Dashboard.
All customers will be directed to our appointment booking system and will be automatically logged in with your email address and GWF number, so there is no password to change.
Please note Priority and Super Priority Visa services are not available in all locations or visa categories. Refer to our Premium Services (Premium Services - vfsglobal). Where available, priority service for new applications must be purchased online after servicing your appointment and prior to attending the centre.
The fees for Priority and Super Priority service have recently changed. Please visit: Visa fees transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for more information.
For more information on Priority Visa services, please visit: Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application .
-
If you have not yet selected Priority or Super Priority, you can upgrade your service level by rescheduling your
appointment and selecting the correct service prior to your original appointment date. - If you have selected Priority or Super Priority and have not yet remitted payment, you can change this service level by rescheduling your appointment and selecting the correct service prior to your original appointment date.
-
If you have selected Priority or Super Priority and previously remitted payment, you can change this service level
by
cancelling your appointment and rebooking a new appointment under the correct service prior to your original
appointment date.
No, the payment for Priority or Super Priority Visa Service must be completed online after reserving your appointment and prior to attending the centre. Failure to make this payment online will result in delays at the Visa Application Centre or the requirement to reschedule the appointment.
Please make sure you have read through the Document Upload instructions regarding file sizes and types, and that you have a good broadband/Wifi connection. If you are still having issues, it could be due to a temporary systems error, so please try again at a later time/date. If, after following these instructions, you are still unable to upload your documents, please take a screenshot of the error messages that you are receiving, and take it to your appointment at the Visa Application Centre; where you will be able to use the assisted document scanning service at no cost.
Alternatively you can purchase Document Upload Assistance (fee usually applies), and let our staff sort, scan and upload your documents, saving you precious time.
You can upload your supporting documents online free of charge or choose the paid Document Upload Assistance service. If you wish to self-upload your supporting documents, you should refer to the document checklist you have received as part of your online application and ensure that everything is correct.
If you have made an error and have not yet submitted your biometrics, you can delete the incorrect document and reupload the correct document by logging in to your account. To log in to your account, please visit Your appointment page. If you realise that a mistake has been made after submitting your biometrics, you can contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) .
Customers who choose self-upload should upload a clear coloured image of each page of their passport under the category “Travel Document”.
To request a refund for a service that you didn’t need or wasn’t subsequently available, please visit the homepage of the country you are travelling from and select the ‘Request a refund’ link at the bottom of the page.
Except for the Visa Application Fee, Immigration Health Surcharge Fee and for some temporary enrolment locations mandatory fees (where applicable) there are no other mandatory charges for customers who wish to apply for a UK visa. Most services available on the VFS website are optional across locations. However, some centres provide Complimentary Courier services at no extra cost, which may be mandatory. Please visit your country's specific VFS website for details on available optional services.
Your receipt can be downloaded by logging into your account and selecting ‘Resend confirmation letter’ or ‘Print appointment letter’ from the ‘Appointment details’ section of the dashboard.
If you are still in the process of booking your appointment, you can remove any unwanted services from your Cart on the ‘Review and Pay’ page, by clicking on the edit icon and removing that service. If you experience any issues with removing unwanted services, or if you paid for a service in error; please visit the homepage of the country you are travelling from, and select the ‘Request a refund’ link at the bottom of the page.
- Once you have submitted your biometrics and documents at a VFS centre, the application is submitted to UKVI for consideration. We recommend that you do not make any non-refundable arrangements to travel to the UK until a decision has been made.
- If UKVI approve the issue of your visa, VFS will contact you via email and/or phone to request the return of your passport to the same centre for the visa to be affixed. Your passport must be resubmitted within 28 calendar days of this first notification, and you should not travel to the UK for the purpose covered by your visa application before this process has been completed.
- It is your responsibility to return the passport to the centre where you enrolled your biometrics when requested, and you can do so either in person, via an authorised representative or by courier, where available. VFS staff will confirm the acceptable resubmission methods when you attend your appointment.
- Once UKVI has made a decision and your passport has been resubmitted it will usually be ready for return by the next working day; however, in some locations this may be slightly longer*. VFS staff will advise you on the estimated return times when you attend your appointment. Please note that we will not be able to send passports overseas and will only return to an in country address.
-
If you have also purchased the Priority Service, note the following:
- This does not guarantee your application will be successful
- The estimated 5 working days only relates to the timeline for a decision to be made
- If UKVI refuse your application, you will receive the decision via email and will not be required to resubmit your passport. In such circumstances, fees for any courier return arrangements will not be refunded.
- Even if you have already submitted your application, you have the option to choose this service. To do so, please visit the UK Visa Application Centre where you submitted your application and request your passport back.
- Please note, this service is not available to anyone applying for a Super Priority Visa (SPV).
*This timeline may not be met in the event VFS identifies an error on the issued visa.
Please note this service is not applicable for eVisa customers.
To cancel your appointment, please go to ‘Your appointment’ page.
Login to your account. On your Dashboard page, select Manage Appointment, open the Appointment Details section and select Cancel Appointment.
To request a refund please visit the homepage of the country you are travelling from, and select the 'Request a refund' link at the bottom of the page.
VFS endeavours to process refund requests from customers within 15 days. Once the refund is approved, customers should receive the funds back to the original method of payment within five working days, subject to the usual bank and credit card company timelines. If we have a query regarding your refund request, we will contact you within seven working days.
Please visit the homepage of the country you are travelling from, and use the ‘Contact us’ link at the bottom of the page to get in touch. Please include the following information on the form, and one of our Customer Care Team will be happy to help.
- Applicant’s full name
- Application reference number from GOV.UK (usually starts GWF, followed by nine numbers)
- Registered email address (as used on GOV.UK and the VFS website)
- A copy of the Appointment Confirmation, indicating where information is incomplete or incorrect
- Name of the Visa Application Centre you intend to visit for your appointment
- Date and time of the appointment you booked
If UK Visas and Immigration are unable to deliver a Priority Visa service as a result of a VFS fault, then a refund will be considered in line with our standard Terms & Conditions .
If you believe you did not receive your Priority Visa service in the time expected due to a VFS scanning fault, please Contact Us .
We are sorry that you had to pay for a service that you didn't need. If you have subsequently self-uploaded your documents, or are exempt from Document Upload Assistance charges (ie; you're applying for Family Reunion under part 11 of the Immigration Rules or are an individual applying under the Windrush scheme), please visit the homepage of the country you are travelling from, and select the ‘Request a refund’ link at the bottom of the page.
To request a refund for Priority or Super Priority Visa services, please visit the following link https://www.gov.uk/faster-decision-visa-settlement/getting-a-refund . The refund process and its timeline are solely dependent on UKVI after they receive your refund request; VFS Global has no influence on these services.
To request a refund for transaction decline, double payments or overcharge please visit the homepage of the country you are travelling from, and select the ‘Request a refund’ link at the bottom of the page.
Unless VFS is unable to provide the services, any services purchased online or at the Visa Application Centres are non-refundable, even if they remain unused.
VFS is responsible for services offered to customers in the Visa Application Centre and is not part of the decision-making process. Your visa application is assessed by UK Visas and Immigration.
Information on the visa application process is available on GOV.UK: Visas and Immigration .
You can find the current UK Visas and Immigration global service standard for processing times at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visa-decision-waiting-times-applications-outside-the-uk .
If you have been issued with an eVisa only and the details on your eVisa are wrong, for example, your name has been spelled wrong, report it using the Report an error with your eVisa form .
If you have a vignette as well as an eVisa, you should also check your vignette for any errors and report them by contacting UK Visas and Immigration before you travel.
If you have been issued with a vignette only, please contact UK Visas and Immigration before you travel.
Please visit the homepage of the country you are travelling from, and use the ‘Contact us’ link at the bottom of the page to get in touch. A member of our Customer Care Team will respond within 48 hours. If you are still at the Visa Application Centre, you can ask to speak to the Visa Application Centre Manager, who will be able to assist you.