Discovery Bank’s big UK visa centre move

Discovery Bank has launched what it says is South Africa’s first dedicated UK visa application centre within its flagship Sandton head office building, in partnership with VFS Global.

The move, announced on Tuesday, directly addresses the needs of Discovery’s most frequent international travellers, with the United Kingdom being the top global holiday destination for the group. More than 16 000 of its Discovery Vitality members flew there on discounted tickets in 2025 alone.

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It says the “first-of-its-kind visa centre” is located at the Discovery Store at 1 Discovery Place in Sandton, Johannesburg. By partnering with VFS Global, it has effectively turned the location into into a comprehensive travel logistics hub.

This physical branch already facilitates Smart ID and passport applications, health assessments, and financial management. The addition of a bespoke UK visa centre allows clients to handle biometrics and document submission in a single, secure environment, bypassing traditional public centres.

“By integrating a dedicated UK visa application centre right here, we are creating a truly integrated and convenient hub for our clients,” comments Discovery Bank CEO Hylton Kallner.

He says the initiative is a significant step toward making banking and travel entirely “seamless”.

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The service is structured into two distinct tiers, rewarding different levels of the bank’s client base:

•  For all Discovery Bank clients: Complimentary, exclusive access to the appointment-only centre in Sandton. The facility is designed to offer shorter wait times and a premium environment compared to standard centres.
•  For Discovery Bank Purple Suite clients: A “first-of-its-kind” premium at-home service. Through the On-Demand Mobile Visa benefit, Purple Travel Consultants will arrange for VFS Global officials to visit a client’s home or office in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, or Pretoria to process the application and collect biometrics.

Operational boundaries

While the partnership streamlines the administrative “pain points” of travel, Discovery and VFS Global were clear on the limits of their influence.

Siddharth Mehra, Chief Operating Officer of VFS Global, emphasised that the partnership focuses on “enhancing customer experience” while maintaining “the highest standards of security and efficiency”.

However, both parties provide administrative support only; all visa decisions and processing timelines remain strictly under the authority of UK Visas & Immigration.

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