Will VFS Take My Passport?

Stage 2
1

Hi everyone,

I just scheduled my biometrics appointment at the VFS Global center for a UK visa. While going through the application, I saw some “Added Value Services,” including options like “Keep My Passport While Applying”.

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This made me wonder:

  • Does this mean I’ll have to submit my passport during the appointment?
  • If I don’t pay for the “Keep My Passport” service, will I not be able to travel abroad while waiting for the visa result?

Has anyone had experience with this?

3

Hi Erin,

Yes, “Keep My Passport” is an optional paid service from VFS that allows you to retain your passport after your biometric appointment, in case you need to travel while your UK visa application is being processed.

If you don’t choose this service, your passport will be kept by VFS until a decision is made. If you do opt for the “Keep My Passport” service, you’ll be asked to resubmit your passport later for visa stamping once your application is approved.

So, if you have any international travel planned during the processing period, it’s worth considering the service.

Hope that helps!

4

I’m applying from outside the UK, and I was redirected to the VFS center directly from the official visa application website after completing the payment, so I didn’t really consider any other options. But I really appreciate your input. I’ll double-check to make sure everything’s in order!

5

Thanks for the detailed explanation!

That makes a lot of sense now. I wasn’t quite sure how the process worked after the biometric appointment, so your message really helped clarify things.

Since I might need to travel during the waiting period, I’ll seriously consider the “Keep My Passport” option.

Appreciate your help!

1 Like
6

Hi there I hope it’s ok to jump on this thread to ask for advice. My boyfriend (Tunisian) is submitting biometrics on Tuesday (9th Sept) and we have opted for the keep passport option to ensure we don’t have delays receiving the passport back as we have flights booked on 19th Sept (:pray:t2:)
Does anyone have experience of what happens once approved (hopefully) with the keep own passport service - he lives 6 hours away from the VFS Global centre in Tunis and I’m hoping he can go the day before his flight to have visa added to his passport (if approved) and fly the next day - is that realistic?

Thank you so much in advance for any help!