Can you get a UK visa close to the French/UK or Belgian/UK border and if so how fast?
We will have friends over visiting us on Schengen visa. We are considering going on a weekend trip to Kent. They would need a UK visa to enter. How quickly can this be arranged and is it possible close to the border, or do we need to plan a visit to the consulate in Brussels?
Asking for visa in their home country is not an option anymore.
Best Answer
Bad news - the answer appears to be no.
The British Embassy in Paris website lists their locations as Paris, with consulates in Bordeaux and Marseille and a British Trade and Investment Office in Lyon. It makes no mention of anything in Nord Pas de Calais, so it would seem that the previous consulate in Lille (for which there are references online) has closed. The British Embassy Brussels site makes no mention of other centres. Luxembourg appears to be handled through France, so no option there either.
Both of these link back to the new-ish UK Visa Application Centres page, which takes you to here for France and here for Belgium. It seems this has all fairly recently been outsourced, and as is often the case for this sort of thing, made more useless and less helpful. The only two locations currently listed as being available for visa interviews and issuing are given as Paris and Brussels.
So, assuming the Do You Need a Visa wizard comes back as saying your friends really do need a UK visa, the only option appears to be applying online, and heading to either Brussels or Paris for an interview, assuming one is available in time.
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How long does it take to get a UK transit visa?
Once you've attended your appointment, you'll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks. You may be able to get your visa faster or other services depending on what country you're in - check with your visa application centre. It's currently taking 6 weeks on average to get a decision on transit visas.Can I get UK transit visa on arrival?
Direct Airside Transit visaDirect Airside Transit visas last for up to 24 hours, meaning the onward flight must be within 24 hours of your arrival in the UK. You cannot apply for this visa if you need to go through UK border control, for example to check in your luggage on to a connecting flight or to change airports.Can I go to UK from France without visa?
EU , EEA and Swiss citizens can travel to the UK for holidays or short trips without needing a visa. In other cases, find out if you need to apply for a visa to enter the UK . You can cross the UK border using a valid passport which should be valid for the whole time you are in the UK .Can I travel to UK from Belgium without visa?
Presently, Belgian citizens can still travel to the UK with either a valid identity card or a valid passport. From 1 October 2021, the British government will only accept a valid passport for short stays in the UK.You’re being LIED to! REAL UK VISA 2022 Processing Time | Updates of all UK Visa Processing Times
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