All United Kingdom visa applications submitted in Bangladesh will be assessed by the visa section at the British High Commission in New Delhi from October 1, according to a press release issued by the British High Commission in Dhaka yesterday.

It also makes clear that Bangladeshi nationals wishing to apply for a visa for the United Kingdom will not have to travel to New Delhi to submit their applications.

“As usual, Bangladeshi applicants will submit their visa applications at Visa Application Centres in Dhaka and Sylhet. There will be no need for applicants to travel to India. Nor should they notice any difference to the quality or speed of our service.

“Passports will remain in Bangladesh and decisions will continue to be made by British Crown Servants,” the press release says.

“The cost of the service will stay the same and we will continue to operate within our existing service standards of 15 working days for non settlement cases and 60 working days for settlement cases,” said the UK high commission in Dhaka.

As part of its global strategy, United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is reducing the number of locations around the world, where decisions are made regarding visa applications. In doing so, it will also significantly reduce costs to the British taxpayer, as per the press release.