UNB, Dhaka :
The visa section at the British High Commission here will cease to be a decision-making centre on October 1, with decisions on UK visa applications submitted in Bangladesh being taken to the visa section at its New Delhi High Commission.
This transition will be carried out in three phases-decisions on settlement (phase 1) and Points Based System (PBS) (phase 2) applications are already being made in New Delhi, said a press release on Monday.
The third and final phases will see all other visa application categories submitted on or after September 7 being assessed in New Delhi from that date.
Passports will remain in Bangladesh and decisions will continue to be made by British Crown Servants.
The cost of the service will remain the same and they will continue to operate within their existing service standards of 15 working days for non-settlement cases and 60 working days for settlement cases.
As usual, Bangladeshi applicants will submit their visa applications at Visa Application Centres in Dhaka and Sylhet.
There will be no need for applicants to travel to India. Nor should they notice any difference to the quality or speed of our service.
As advised in an announcement earlier, the United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI), as part of its global strategy, is reducing the number of locations around the world where decisions are made on UK visa applications. This will be done through the implementation of an extended hub and spoke network.
