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The UK has launched two premier services for visa applicants in the UAE - including an exclusive platinum lounge - offering wannabe UK travellers a Great British welcome from the very start of their journey.
On Wednesday, the 'on-demand biometric service' and 'platinum lounge' opened to the public at the UK Visa Application Centre in Wafi Mall, with Paul Fox, consul-general to Dubai and the Northern Emirates, who was present calling it a "big day for the embassy".
"We have been working on these two services for quite some time. We spent a lot of time researching the needs of the customer, and basically they told us they want convenience and luxury," Matt Heath, regional director, UK Visas & Immigration Middle East & Pakistan, said.
The new services have been designed for those who want to sit back, relax and forget about the hassle of applying for a visa - but they do come at a price.
The first of the new services is the platinum lounge, which will offer an exclusive environment for its applicants. But according to Matt Heath it goes "far beyond that".
"Customers will send the centre an e-mail requesting an appointment. We then set up an appointment for the applicant and provide a chauffeur-driven service to the centre."
Once in, applicants will be escorted to a private booth where one of the centre's advisors will sit with them and fill out the application form for them.
"The facility is WiFi-enabled. Once complete, the chauffeur will drive the customer back to his chosen destination."
All platinum lounge customers will avail of a priority visa service as part of the package - meaning visas will be processed within three to five days. Once processed, the customer's passport will be sent by courier to their chosen location.
The service costs Dh2,600 and is available to customers applying at the UK Visa Application Centre in Dubai only. Customers can also choose to upgrade to the super priority visa service for an additional Dh3,000 (approximately).
The second service is the 'on-demand mobile biometric service' for people who do not have the time to sit and wait at the visa centre.
The service is available to individuals and corporate customers, too.
"Home services are typically speedy services, so this is what we're giving our customers," Heath told Khaleej Times.
A small team will travel to the applicant's house or chosen location to complete the biometric enrolment process (capturing finger scans and a photograph). At a cost of Dh4,500, for an individual, groups can avail of a discount depending on the number of applicants.
Like in the platinum lounge service, applicants can choose to upgrade to the priority or super priority service at a cost of Dh500 (approximately) and Dh3,000 (approximately), respectively.
A courier service to deliver the applicants' passport will also be provided once the visa is processed.
Six extra staff will be employed to accommodate the platinum service customers and Srinarayan Sankaran, COO, Middle East, VFS Global told Khaleej Times it is expecting to welcome "at least 30 applicants" within the first few months.
Both services will provide a mandatory six-month validity on visas, although there is the option to apply for a longer term visa and pay the additional cost.
"The base charge for a six month visa is $131, two years is $499, five years is $906 and ten years is $1135," a representative told Khaleej Times. -kelly@khaleejtimes.com
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