The Pakistan High Commission in London has awarded a contract to Gerry’s Visa Services Ltd to provide additional consular facilitation services throughout the United Kingdom, aiming to improve convenience for the British Pakistani community. This decision was approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad following a transparent competitive bidding process conducted under the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) guidelines.
Only UK-registered companies were eligible to participate, and the entire selection process included thorough due diligence and compliance checks, taking four months to complete. The new arrangement is designed to particularly assist Pakistani nationals residing in remote areas of the UK, who previously faced challenges and high costs traveling to the High Commission in London or its consulates.
By introducing these additional facilitation centres, applicants will save both time and transportation expenses. Notably, Gerry’s International will also offer weekend services, providing greater flexibility for the community. Regular consular operations will continue uninterrupted at the Pakistan High Commission in London and the consulates located in Birmingham, Manchester, Bradford, and Glasgow.
It has been clarified that the facilitation centres will have a limited scope, handling only the processing and data entry for passport applications, visa applications, NICOP applications, and document collection for attestation. Matters such as Powers of Attorney, land-related issues, and all other consular services will remain the sole responsibility of the High Commission and its four consulates. Furthermore, all decision-making authority on applications will continue to reside exclusively with the Government of Pakistan and relevant agencies including NADRA, IMPASS, MOFA, MOI, and the Pakistani Missions.
In a significant development, this initiative is being welcomed as a practical step to enhance access to essential consular services while maintaining stringent official oversight and security standards. Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK, Dr Muhammad Faisal, emphasized that the partnership with Gerry’s Visa Services Ltd aims to prioritize overseas Pakistanis by eliminating unauthorized and fraudulent visa and NADRA facilitation centres operating in the UK.
Under this agreement, Gerry’s Visa Services Ltd will operate the only authorised service centres nationwide, enabling overseas Pakistanis to access a broad range of consular services, including visa processing, passports, NADRA-related documentation, and attestation services. Dr Faisal stated, “This partnership is about putting overseas Pakistanis first. By decentralising these essential services through authorised partners like Gerry’s, we are removing the need for long-distance travel and making consular access faster, safer, and more convenient.”
He further noted that this initiative marks a major advancement in the High Commission’s commitment to serving the UK’s two million-strong Pakistani diaspora. Afzal Wali Muhammad, Chairman of Gerry’s Visa Services, expressed his company’s honour in being selected as the sole authorised partner for this transformative project. He pledged to deliver world-class, transparent, and secure services to the Pakistani community across the UK.
The first Gerry’s Visa Services Ltd Facilitation Centre is scheduled to open in May 2026, with a phased rollout planned to establish centres throughout all major regions of the United Kingdom. Additional information about locations, services, and appointment procedures will be provided in the coming weeks.
