Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her policy is on people who have vignette visas who are unable to travel to the UK due to covid-19 related travel restrictions; and if she will remove extension fees for vignette visas given the limited travel options available.

The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those affected by the covid-19 outbreak. It has been agreed that if an individual’s 30-day visa to travel to the UK for work, study or to join family has expired, or is about to expire, a replacement visa with revised validity dates valid for up to 90 days may be requested free of charge until the end of this year (2020). Affected customers will need to contact the UKVI Coronavirus Immigration Help Centre. Full details of the Help Centre and how to make a request can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents.

Our Visa Application Centres (VACs) overseas are currently closed due to the impact of covid-19. Customers will be contacted when they reopen in order to arrange for the replacement visa to be endorsed in their passport to enable them to travel.

These are unprecedented times and we may make further adjustments to requirements where necessary and appropriate, to ensure people are not unduly affected by circumstances beyond their control.