Coronavirus and the UK immigration system (as of 01 April 2020)

UK visa application centres

Outside the UK

A second Home Office factsheet of 24 March notes that “many of the UK’s Visa Application Centres (VACs) are currently closed and we anticipate more closing”.

That includes all the visa application centres run by VFS Global on behalf of the Home Office. As of 1 April, the VFS website reports that “UK has stopped accepting visa applications globally”.

All other visa centres overseas are run by TLScontact. It does not appear to have a centralised list of closures, but applicants can check the situation in their country through the TLScontact website.

Operation of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission

A notice from the Chairman of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, Mrs Justice Elizabeth Laing, says that there are no court staff in the Field House office but emails are being answered. It adds that “appellants must continue to comply with the relevant time limits for lodging an appeal. Appeals must be lodged by email until further notice”.