Residents in southern parts of Zimbabwe can now apply for UK visas closer to home, following the opening of a new application centre in Bulawayo.
The facility, located at the Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel will operate every Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Applicants can now book appointments online via the VFS Global website to submit documents and enrol biometric data without having to travel to Harare.
The launch is aimed at easing the burden for travellers in the southern region amid rising demand for UK visas during the summer period.
British Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pete Vowles, described the centre as a “significant milestone” in improving access to UK travel services.
“It will make travel more accessible for people in the southern region and open new pathways for trade, tourism, and investment,” he said.
“Most importantly, it reflects our commitment to deepening people-to-people connections and supporting the growing demand for partnership between our two nations.”
The new Bulawayo centre adds to the main Visa Application Centre in Harare, located at Sam Levy’s Village in Borrowdale, which has been operational since November 2024.
VFS Global, the company running the visa service on behalf of the UK government, says the new centre will offer premium services including application assistance, real-time notifications, document return by courier, and the “Keep My Passport While Applying” option, allowing applicants to retain their passports while waiting for a decision.
Alok Singhal, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa for VFS Global, said: “This new centre enables us to serve the growing number of travellers to the UK from Zimbabwe, offering the same comfort, convenience, and best-in-class services available at our Harare facility.”
Thanks for giving as an opportunity again