World news story

Move to online payment for UK Visas

From Monday 16 December those applying for a UK visa must make their application and pay the visa fee through an online process.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government
Online Payment for Visa

Online Payment for Visa

This change for customers in Pakistan is part of a UK Home Office global initiative to streamline the application process.

Applicants will be able to pay online using Visa and MasterCard credit or debit cards. Alternatively, they can also pay through ‘e-wallet’ Skrill service. The fee will be levied in UK Pounds Sterling.

Inaugurating the streamlined service in Pakistan, the Head of Visa section from the British High Commission in Pakistan, Margaret Partridge said:

The ties that join the UK and Pakistan are as strong as ever. There are 1.4 million journeys between Pakistan and the UK each year and Pakistan is the fifth highest recipient of UK Visas worldwide.

As part of the UK Government’s Digital by Default initiative, this move will help cut costs and help to keep visa fees down. It will also be a safer system for customers as it reduces the risk associated with handling large amounts of cash during the visa application process.

We are committed to providing a quality visa service in Pakistan. In 2012/13 we received approximately 122,000 visa applications from Pakistani applicants, underlining the close relationship between our two countries.

For Pakistan, Britain is open for business and tourism, and we attract the brightest and best to study in our universities.

Further Information

For further details on UK Visa online service, please visit Gov.uk

Contact: Press Attaché, British High Commission, Islamabad; tel. 051 201 2884

Published 16 December 2013