COVID-19 UPDATE: Temporary Closures Of Visa Application Centres (VACs) Across The UK

Sopra Steria, the third party consultancy responsible for managing the Visa Application Centres (“VACs”) on behalf of the Home Office, have released a list of VACs they are temporarily closing until further notice.

The following Sopra Steria locations will be closed due to the libraries from which they operate being shut by their respective Local Authorities:

	First day of closure
Aberdeen	24th March 2020
Barbican	17th March 2020
Bedford	23rd March 2020
Bournemouth	23rd March 2020
Bradley Stoke	19th March 2020
Burnley	24th March 2020
Cambridge	18th March 2020
Canterbury	17th March 2020
Coventry	23rd March 2020
Eastbourne	23rd March 2020
Gloucester	23rd March 2020
Ipswich	23rd March 2020
Liverpool	18th March 2020
Llandudno	23rd March 2020
Newcastle	20th March 2020
Norwich	23rd March 2020
Nottingham	18th March 2020
Preston	23rd March 2020
Reading	17th March 2020
Shoe Lane	17th March 2020
Stockport	19th March 2020
Stratford	20th March 2020
Taunton	18th March 2020
Wakefield	17th March 2020
Wolverhampton	23rd March 2020

 

As covered by one of our earlier blogs, due to coronavirus outbreak Sopra Steria have advised that applicants must not attend their appointment if they are showing any symptoms or have tested positive for Coronavirus.

Applicants should immediately self-isolate and email with “COVID-19” and their UAN in the subject line. Sopra Steria have confirmed that they will refund any fees paid towards a biometric appointment and will inform the Home Office accordingly.

 

Hotline for Coronavirus

The Home Office has established a “Coronavirus Immigration Helpline”:

• Telephone: 0800 678 1767 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
• Calls are free of charge
• Email:  

 

If you are considering submitting an application to the Home Office at the current time, or are in the process of booking an appointment and have concerns considering the current situation with COVID-19, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Please note that the information in this blog is current at the date and time of posting. The situation regarding policy and guidance based on the COVID-19 pandemic is subject to change at short notice. We shall be monitoring all aspects of UK immigration which may be impacted by the coronavirus closely, so please do keep updated with further blogs and articles which we will be posting on this site.

 

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please don’t hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

©Gherson 2020

 

 

  Toska Fernandez

  Paralegal in our General and Corporate Teams