UK Visas Available Within 24 Hours Now Offered to Filipino Applicants

Philippine passport holders who wish to visit the United Kingdom can now avail of express visa applications starting February 23.

The UK embassy in a statement said the new Super Priority Visa Service (SPVS) enables applicants to obtain their visas within 24 hours. It will be available to applicants for visitor visas and other qualified work visa categories.

In addition to SPVS, Filipino applicants can avail of 3- or 5-day priority visa service. According to British Ambassador to the Philippines Asif Amad, the express visa option helps those who want to take advantage of last-minute holiday offers.

According to VFS Global, those who want to avail of the 24-hour visa service will have to pay £600 or (about P45,000) on top of standard visa fee pegged at £83. To those who will avai of the 3- or 5-day priority visa service will have to pay an addition fee of £100.

A total of 53,000 UK visas were issued to Philippine passport holders as of September 2014, an increase of 62% for tourism and 8% for business visitors.