Consulate and Lodgement Centre – Appointment Delays

Please note:

General Schengen and United Kingdom visa applications appointments and processing times:

1. General Schengen visa processing – The appointments/ application volumes have increased even more the past two weeks (Record breaking)
   Please take this into consideration when planning a trip to Schengen territory. It will be in the best interest of each traveller to allow double the amount of processing time as currently advertised on the Visas Zone website.
2. The United Kingdom visa processing delays – REMINDER: Visas Zone Management conducted meetings with the United Kingdom authorities and they notified us that all “priority fees” DO NOT guarantee urgent processing:

• **Normal processing times for all additional priority fees paid generally take 5-7 business days. It can now take 10-15 days due to the national peak season INFLUX. Standard processing generally takes 10-15 business days but due to the influx can take 15-20 business days. **
• In addition to the above: all applications/ submissions require an appointment which may delay the process by another week. This is, unfortunately, the reality we face annually with all first world/ popular/ regular countries our clients travel to. There are various URGENT/ VIP/ PRIORITY options available, at an extra cost, but does not guarantee earlier/ sooner appointments.

Our offices have received numerous complaints about long waiting times on submission at the Lodgement Centres. Please note the average waiting period at Schengen and United Kingdom Lodgement Centres are now up to 1.5 hours. Please that Visas Zone meet and greet Lodgement Fees DO NOT include speeding up waiting times at any Consulate or Lodgement Centre. This has always been standard practice.

The following warning is displayed on all appointment confirmation emails and is important to take note of.