New Bulawayo Centre Opens, Making UK Visa Applications More Accessible for Zimbabweans

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe – Getting a UK visa is now significantly more convenient for Zimbabweans in the southern region with the official opening of a new Premium Application Centre (PAC) in Bulawayo. The centre, operated by the UK Government’s commercial partner VFS Global, is poised to meet the increasing demand for travel to the United Kingdom.

Located at the Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel, the new facility directly addresses a major hurdle for applicants who previously had to travel to the capital, Harare, to submit their documents. This development is a key part of enhancing the accessibility of UK visa services across the country.

British Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pete Vowles, hailed the opening as a landmark moment for bilateral relations.

“The opening of our new visa centre in Bulawayo marks a significant milestone in strengthening the ties between the UK and Zimbabwe,” said Ambassador Vowles. “It will make travel more accessible for people in the southern region and open new pathways for trade, tourism, and investment. Most importantly, it reflects our commitment to deepening people-to-people connections and supporting the growing demand for partnership between our two nations.”

The Bulawayo centre joins the state-of-the-art Visa Application Centre (VAC) at Sam Levy’s Village in Harare, which commenced operations in November 2024.

Alok Singhal, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa for VFS Global, emphasised the commitment to improving customer experience.

“We are pleased to further expand our network of conveniently located touchpoints for UK visa customers in Zimbabwe,” stated Mr. Singhal. “This new centre enables us to serve the growing number of travellers to the UK, offering the same comfort, convenience, and best-in-class services as our world-class Visa Application Centre in Harare.”