The UK Visa Roadmap

Because there will be (I am assuming) a healthy number of people applying for some sort of study in the UK this year or in the coming years, I'm here to tell you exactly what you need to do and where you need to go to do it. Mind you, some details like where to get the TB screenings from are related to Islamabad, only since I don't know about the other three cities (Lahore, Karachi and Mirpur), but it's a start.

I had to go twice and I know that there are at least 3 others who had to come back because they weren't apprised of the adequate information beforehand. The second time instead of having to wait 3-4 hours only to be told my documentation wasn't accurate, I booked a stay at the Premium Lounge where everything was taken care of personally and within an hour. Worth the extra 3k I had to pay.

Alright, so let's get down to basics. Here's all you need to have with you before you call Gerry's Express (0900 10411) to make an appointment:

• Completed VAF 9 PBS Tier 4 form and PBS Appendix 8 General Student Assessment form.
• CAS Letter (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies): this is the letter (usually email) sent to you by your university affirming that you are indeed enrolled where you say you are, providing other necessary details like passport number, program start and end dates, sponsor licence number, any paid fees etc. You'll also need to use this letter to fill out your PBS Tier 4 VAF 9 form, available here.
• 2 photocopies of the above.
• Undergraduate / O & A-Level (Matric & FSc) / TOEFL / IELTS / any Graduate transcripts. Everything from O-level/Matric onwards you need to include in the documentation of your application, be it you're applying for an undergraduate or graduate degree. All official and original copies.
• 2 photocopies of the above.
• Bank Statements (3 official copies of a single statement...if you're providing multiple statements, then 3 official copies of each bank's statement).
• University Offer Letter (plus 2 copies)
• 1 complete copy of your most recent passport (all pages).
• All passports attached to your latest passport.
• 3 photographs. Details for these are available here.
• TB Screening Medical Certificate (dial 111 466 472 for an appointment)
• 2 copies of your ID card where front and back are copied on the same side of the page.

So that's the list of things you need to have with you before making your appointment. If there's anything that might be missing, you might want to double check when making your appointment.

Now, on to the TB screening center. The only place that provides certified medical certificates is the IOM center (International Organization for Migration), located in four cities: Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Mirpur. Now, you're going to want to know where the dratted thing is.

It's at Khumrial Center, G-8/4, Street 22 right behind the PTCL headquarters building...where the T&T colony is. The easiest and safest way to get there is to type 'Pakistan Post Office Headquarters' into Google Maps from your house, zoom in a ton, and get an idea of where you need to go, and it'll give you a very precise direction, probably coming from 9th Ave, taking the left onto Aiwan-e-Sanant-o-Tejarat, and then another left onto Jhelum Road. Take the first uturn and then into Street 22. If you're coming from 8th Ave (aka Faisal Ave), it'll be a right onto Street 28 and then follow the zigzag road. Use Google Maps. Much easier. :)

So you need all the above preferably before making an appointment at Gerry's for the UK visa. Once you have all the documents and your medical certificate, breathe easy and take your appointment.

If you'd rather not have to wait for 3-4 hours at the center, the quicker way is to book your Premium Lounge seat when taking your appointment, for which you'll  have to fork over an additional 3k (it's Rs 26, 865 visa fee), plus a Rs 200 for the SMS fee. All of it, aside from the visa fee itself, is a grand moneymaking scheme of course, under the guise of making your life easier. Of course, they do make your life easier but the thing is they should include that in the package anyway!

So there you go, complete step-by-step instructions for the visa process. If you have any questions, leave 'em in the comments or email me. Comments are a better idea so other people can benefit from 'em too!

Tally ho & g'luck!

:)