On-line applications

From 01 December 2008, applicants are required to apply on-line.  At the same time they will be given an appointment to lodge their application, deposit supporting documents, pay the appropriate fee and have their finger-scans taken at the UKBA Visa Application Centre (located at the British Embassy in Luanda). The British Embassy in Luanda will no longer admit callers who have not pre-booked an appointment. 

Applications will then be forwarded to the new dedicated regional visa centre at the British High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa, where the application will be processed and a decision taken. Once this has happened the applicant's passport and documents will be returned to the UKBA Visa Application Centre in Luanda, where the applicant will be able to collect them.

As before, you should apply at least 3 weeks in advance of any planned journey to the United Kingdom. An application can be accepted up to 3 months in advance of the proposed date of travel. The expected processing time between an applicant depositing their application at the UKBA Visa Application Centre and their passport being ready for them to collect will be fifteen working days in most cases.

Applications will continue to be judged on the information provided on the application form, the supporting documents and any previous UK immigration history. It is therefore essential that applicants complete their visa application fully answering all the questions and provide the supporting documents listed on the website to support their application, including e.g. evidence of funds available to cover costs of travel and living in the UK. Failure to do this could result in an application being refused.

If an applicant presents a fake document, or makes a false statement, he/she will be refused a visa, and could be subject to a ten-year ban.

People who travel frequently to the UK may be eligible for a 5 or 10 year multi-entry visa. This saves having to reapply regularly for a new visa. A long-term visa also works out cheaper than making frequent 6 months visa applications.

Applicants of any nationality holding a current valid Angolan residence permit may make applications to the UKBA Visa Application Centre. Applications can also be made directly to the British High Commission Pretoria or any other visa issuing Post.

A global system

These changes are part of a restructuring of the UK's global visa operation programme to meet ever-increasing demand for visas for the United Kingdom. In southern Africa, for example, visa applications from Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Swaziland, Malawi, and Zimbabwe are already processed in Pretoria. Applications from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania as well as Kenya are processed in Nairobi. Consolidating visa operations will help keep the processing costs down, which in turn will help keep visa fees down.

Where can I get advice?

Our visa section staff cannot give you advice on how to complete your application, or what type of visa you should apply for. If you need help with your application or advice about the UK's immigration rules and requirements, you should seek advice from a qualified immigration adviser. In the UK these are immigration advisers regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner or legally qualified professionals regulated by designated professional bodies. Their websites are:

• Law Society of England and Wales
• Law Society of Scotland
• Law Society of Northern Ireland
• Institute of Legal Executives

Please follow the link to the UKBA website