The British Deputy High Commission in Chennai today said that it had improved the visa application facilities and procedures for customers across South India.
The Deputy High Commission is starting new visa application centres in Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad which will become operational starting February 10.
In a statement, the Deputy High Commission said that the improved service had been developed as part of the commitment to make UK visa services more accessible to customers.
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Visa applicants for all categories are expected to lodge their applications at one of these centres, rather than at the Deputy High Commission office in Chennai.
The new procedures have been introduced after consultation with customers and will ensure that applicants need not travel to the Deputy High Commission office in Chennai for the granting of a visa.
Instead they will be able to lodge applications at one of the application centres much closer to their homes and those who still require an interview can fix an appointment which suits them and queues for a visa outside the Deputy High Commission would be a thing of the past, said the statement.
At the visa application centres trained staff will accept the applications, explain the latest visa rules and offer advice where necessary. All applications will then be immediately forwarded to the Deputy High Commission in Chennai.
In many cases the application will be approved and the passport endorsed with the appropriate UK visa, returned to the application centre by courier or sent to the applicant's home or office address. Those still requiring a visa interview would have to fix an appointment.
The three offices do not have a telephone number but the Deputy High Commission has installed a public call centre number 044-55850333 which will dispense the required information.
All customers have to pay a service charge of Rs 300 to take advantage of thse new facilities and procedures.
The centres will be operated by Visa Facilitation Services personnel. Similar procedures are expected to be introduced in New Delhi, Jalandhar, Chandigarh on February 3, Kolkatta on February 17, and Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Pune on February 24.