About us

UK Visas and Immigration is responsible for making millions of decisions every year about who has the right to visit or stay in the country, with a firm emphasis on national security and a culture of customer satisfaction for people who come here legally.


Who we are

Our customer charter sets out the service UK Visas and Immigration aims to provide its customers and what it expects from them.

We have a workforce of 7,500 people based in locations around the UK and overseas. Our staff work on high volume services and more specialist casework.

Our responsibilities

  • to run the UK’s visa service, managing around 3 million applications a year from overseas nationals who wish to come to the UK to visit, study or work
  • to consider applications for British citizenship from overseas nationals who wish to settle here permanently
  • to run the UK’s asylum service offering protection to those eligible under the 1951 Geneva Convention
  • to decide applications from employers and educational establishments who want to join the register of sponsors

  • to manage appeals from unsuccessful applicants

Our priorities

We contribute to achieving the Home Office’s priorities of securing our borders and reducing immigration, cutting crime and protecting our citizens from terrorism.

Corporate information

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Jobs and contracts

Our Personal information charter explains how we treat your personal information. Find out About our services.