The UK Border Agency and the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi are today delighted to announce the re-opening of the newly-refurbished UK Visa Application Centre in Khalidiya, Abu Dhabi
The Application Centre was inaugurated by the Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency, Lin Homer, and Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the UAE, Edward Oakden. The opening ceremony was also attended by Carol Maddison, Regional Marketing Manager for VisitBritain, and senior UKBA officials.
The new, larger, premises have been created in response to consumer demand, in the light of feedback since the Visa Application Centre was first established in September 2007.
So, the new-look, state-of-the-art centre provides additional seating capacity, including a family seating area, more submission desks and more biometric enrolment stations to speed up processing, and a new and bigger space for premium service customers, incorporating a separate entrance . There have also been improvements to the signposts to the Centre both inside the building and on the street outside.
The application centre also now for the first time includes a separate VisitBritain kiosk where customers can find tourist information for their UK visit and buy a range of products including admission tickets for top attractions such as Madame Tussauds and the London Eye. The application centre also continues to provide a British Council desk where customers can book English language exams, including IELTS.
Speaking to the press Ambassador Edward Oakden said: “The British Government warmly welcomes UAE and other properly qualified travellers to the UK, and is committed to ensuring that the process of securing a UK visa should be as simple, swift, straightforward, family-friendly and culturally sensitive as possible. Our Visa Application Centre represents a step-change in customer service for visa applicants. It opened in September 2007, and has been very popular. Satisfaction ratings from our customers have consistently been in the 80-90% range. But we want it to be even better, including for the coming summer peak season. We are always ready to listen to our customers’ views on how we can improve, and what you see today is what our customers told us they wanted: more space, better signage, a bigger premium lounge. We are also adding valuable services such as the VisitBritain kiosk, in addition to the British Council exam-booking desk, . This brings together under one roof three of the most sought-after services for visitors to the UK.”
VisitBritain’s Carol Maddison said: “Over the last few years, we are delighted that the number of Middle East travelers visiting Britain has increased. We want to encourage still more to visit. The VisitBritain kiosk set up in the newly refurbished VAC in Abu Dhabi now makes it possible for travellers to get detailed tourist information for their visit and purchase tickets for attractions before they travel.”
