Overview of Biometric Appointments for UK Visas

All visa applications follow a similar online process, with the submission of your biometric data as the final step in this process. The process begins with the creation of an online visa application, which needs to be fully completed and submitted. At this point, you will need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (if applicable) before selecting your type of application (standard/priority/super-priority). Once you have selected your type of application and paid the relevant application fees, you will be taken to a booking calendar to schedule your appointment.

This calendar shows you the available biometric appointments at your local UKVCAS service point. If no appointments are available on a specific week, you should look at the next week for further availability. Appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and many application centres can become very busy at peak times of the year.

Once you have selected a convenient date, you will need to make arrangements for attending the appointment. Unless you’re lucky enough to live in the same city as a service point, you’ll need to make travel arrangements, which you should do well in advance.

The appointment is scheduled, and your travel plans are in place, so what happens next? Firstly, you should aim to arrive at the service centre 10-15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. Service centres are typically fully booked, so you may lose your appointment if you arrive late.

On arrival, you should check in by providing your details and presenting a printed copy of your appointment confirmation document with a QR code. You’ll also need to provide your current passport or travel document. If there are dependants included in your application, they’ll also need to attend and provide these documents. Lastly, you’ll need to provide other supporting documents for your application unless you’ve already uploaded them. We’d recommend uploading these before your appointment to reduce stress on the day and to minimise the risk of errors or missed documents.

Once you’ve provided your documents, you’ll then need to submit your biometric information. This follows a similar process to an airport, where you’ll have your photo taken via a digital camera and your fingerprints scanned via a specialist tool. Once this has been done, your appointment is over, and you’re free to leave.

This biometric appointment completes your part of the application process, and your application is now ready to be assessed. Indicative processing times begin from this point, including any priority services you may have selected.

Attending a biometric appointment is a key requirement for almost every visa application. The only instances where you might not need to visit a UKVCAS service centre is if all the following conditions are met:

• You are currently in the UK.
• You hold a valid Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or Biometric Residence Card (BRC).
• You have previously provided your biometric information.
• You are applying for a specific visa, such as a Graduate visa, Student visa, or Skilled Worker visa.

If an appointment is unnecessary, you will instead receive an email with instructions on how to submit a photo and your supporting documents. If, for any reason, you're unable to provide the information this way, you will have the option to book an appointment.

The majority of biometric appointments are free. However, you may need to pay extra fees if any of the following apply:

• You need an appointment outside regular hours or on weekends.
• For expedited appointments, such as next-day or same-day bookings, for urgent applications.
• You require additional services, including document translation or interpreter support.

The availability calendar shows both the availability and the cost of any appointments. Availability can be limited at popular service centres at ceratin times of the year so it’s always best to plan well in advance.