Nairobi, Kenya — Kenya-Today Investigations Desk
The UK Visa Application Centre (VFS Global), currently operating out of Principal Place in Westlands, Nairobi, has become a symbol of modern-day exploitation — where desperation meets indifference, and where basic human dignity is auctioned off to the highest bidder.
This is not diplomacy. This is not service. This is corporate cruelty, outsourced by the UK government and executed by a private company that is monetizing the aspirations and vulnerabilities of Kenyans seeking visas.
A Broken System Built to Squeeze the Desperate
The process begins with inflated costs. Kenyans are forced to pay tens of thousands of shillings just to submit an application — often without guarantees, without refunds, and without dignity.
For those unwilling or unable to pay the extra KSh 17,000 for “VIP/Premium” treatment, the message is simple: wait outside. In the scorching Nairobi sun. On the pavement. For hours.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an elderly citizen, a parent with a toddler, a university student, or a sick person — you’re herded like livestock and treated like a potential security threat.
Meanwhile, a sleek air-conditioned room with fast service and refreshments awaits those who can afford the “priority” tag. Welcome to the two-tier visa economy, where money buys respect and poverty earns humiliation.
Poor Communication, Zero Transparency
Applicants report receiving vague and incomplete email notifications, such as:
“Your passport is ready for collection.”
But once they arrive, they’re turned away and told:
“Collections are only between 2 PM and 5 PM.”
Why not include that in the original message? Why force people to waste entire days, only to push them toward paying the “premium” KSh17,000 to avoid the chaos?
It’s not a coincidence. It’s deliberate.
No clear timelines. No real-time updates. No courtesy. No apologies.
This Isn’t Diplomacy. It’s Commercialized Oppression.
Let’s be clear: these centres are not operated by embassies. They are outsourced operations run by private firms like VFS Global, whose business model relies on turning visa hopefuls into revenue streams. The more desperate you are, the more likely you’ll pay extra to avoid the indignity. It’s not security. It’s exploitation.
And should your visa be denied — no refund. Not for the service fee. Not for the premium payment. Not for the emotional toll. Nothing.
It’s a multi-billion-dollar system designed to humiliate and profit, not to help.
Exploitation Normalized — And Institutionalized
Perhaps the most painful part is this: it’s now normal. Kenyans have become conditioned to believe that applying for a visa to the UK or other Global North nations means surrendering your dignity, your time, and your peace of mind — all for a slim chance to enter a country that often benefits from our money, skills, and labor.
We’ve allowed it to become acceptable that being African means being treated as a threat before you’re seen as a human being.
Where Is the UK High Commission in All This?
The UK High Commission in Kenya cannot pretend to be unaware of this situation. These centers operate in their name. Yet, they remain silent as Kenyans are fleeced, frustrated, and degraded.
If the UK wants to charge high visa fees, the bare minimum they should offer is respect, transparency, and humane treatment.
Provide shaded and seated waiting areas.
Communicate clear timelines.
Treat people with the basic courtesy afforded to humans.
African Governments Must Act
Kenya’s government and other African administrations must no longer stay silent while their citizens are treated like second-class beings in their own countries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must urgently demand accountability from the UK government and VFS Global.
They must ask:
Why is there no basic shelter for waiting applicants?
Why does VIP treatment cost more than half of many Kenyans’ monthly wages?
Why is there no transparency on decisions, timelines, or refunds?
This is not a service. This is modern exploitation, outsourced and sugar-coated as “international protocol.”
The Call to Action
It’s time we stopped normalizing abuse in the name of bureaucracy.
It’s time to stop accepting humiliation as a “process.”
We must demand that visa processing centers — regardless of which Global North country they represent — treat every applicant with respect and fairness.
Dignity should never be an optional extra.
For Kenya-Today.com, this is not just a story. It is a demand for justice. A call for dignity. And a warning to all institutions that exploit our people: we are watching.
