UK Visitor Visa

VISITOR VISA TO THE UK

Official List of documents for UK Visitor visa:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/out-of-country/visitors.pdf

PS: This may change from time to time, please use the link for updated documents.

Individuals can travel to the UK for the specific purpose of visiting friends and family who live in the UK .

UK family members can sponsor the applicant by providing an invitation letter to confirm the relationship, purpose of the visit, and also the support they will be providing in terms of financial assistance and/or accommodation.

Applicants in this category must prove to the UK Immigration Authorities that they can financially maintain and accommodate themselves in the UK with or without assistance from family member(s) living in the UK but without resource to public funding or employment.

The first and foremost thing that you need to keep in mind when applying for a visa for UK, is that you should have an initention to return to your home country. Have a well thought out travel plan. Date of Travel, duration of stay and reasons for travelling.

Here is a comprehensive list of Documents you would need for a sucessful application:

A) Sponsor's Documents:

1) 6 months Bank statements
2) 6 months pay slips
3) Address proof : Utility Bill e.g. Telephone bill or Electric Bill or Council tax notice)
4) Rental Agreement
5) Owner's no objection letter
6) Sponsor's High commission certified letter (e.g. Indian High commission in UK)
7) Applicants's passport copy ( Visa page and stamping page)
8) Sponsor's work permit copy
9) Employer's letter for employement proof
10) Letter from Sponsor requesting British High commission for granting visa to visitors.

Recommended but not mandatory Docs (if sponsor is employed in UK):

11) P60 form
12) NI number letter

Reason for visiting UK:

Could be many, meeting with friends, family visit. I have provided an example of a visit where one of your family members may be expecting to deliver soon:

13) NHS maternity letter or prescription exemption card
14) Proof of relations / friendship

B) Visitor's Documents:

15) Passport photo copy (all pages)
16) Proof of address ( ration card, PAN card)

Applicant's Financial Documents:

17) Bank statements (all bank accounts that you may hold, higher the account balance, higher the chances of your application being successful.)
18) Any Insurance Premium receipts and Insurance Policy
19) Stocks & Shares in hand proof ( statement from your broker or depository)
20) If Social Org member (proof of the same)
21) PAN card xerox
22) Credit Card statement
23) PPF (Public Provident Fund) statements

Reasons for returning to home country:

You may have assets, unmarried children, relatives, who are in your home country for whom you may need to return.

24) Children's proofs (passports)
25) Any other investment or asset proof (land / property)

Visit visa should be applied from the nearest place of your residence (proof would be asked for the same when you apply for the visa, as you cannot apply for visa other than the your designated visa centre.)

E.g. if you stay in Pune, you can not apply from Chennai or Delhi for UK visa.

Document Samples:

Sample of Sponsorship & Letter to the British High Commission


How to Apply for UK Visas:

Visa Application Forms

Applying from India
Visa Application Fee

A visitor visa usually takes no more than a week. The application is to be made in person, so as to provide biometric. Childern below 5 years are not needed to apply in person and can be represented by parents or gaurdian, whom they would be travelling with.

This visa entitles holders to visit the UK for up to a maximum of six (6) months, allowing them to experience the life and culture in the UK . They may also be allowed multiple entries during the six (6) month period


Once you get a visa:
Once you receive the visa, ensure you have ( if it's a short term visit visa), your travel insurance (may cost anything between Rs. 4,500 to Rs. 7,000 for a 3 month insurance of $50,000), return tickets in place.
On arrival, in UK, you will, first need to get clearnce from the immigration desk at the airport. You may be few basic questions to prove your a genuine 'visitor' and have all the necessary information that you have based your travel on. (e.g. Place of stay, known people in UK, period of stay etc.)

Tip: If your visa is of more than 6 months, you will be asked to get a medical clearnce as well before the immigration clearnce is given. Usually just a latest chest X-ray is all that you need to carry along with you and must be handy once you reach the immigration desk at the airport.
This avoids unnecessary delay in getting clearance after that long haul flight.

Reasons for UK Visa Refusal

Some of very common visa refusal reasons:

Visitors not confident on the duration of stay, place of stay and sufficient funds to support the stay. Visitors / Migrants using false/forged documents or have lied during their interviews can be banned from entry to the UK for upto 10 years.

Another common reason for refusal was "you wish to go to the UK for a holiday. You have never previously undertaken any foreign travel before and I can see little reason for this trip".

There is a case of a person whose request was rejected by an officer because they had "little or no idea what you plan to see or do". This was, because the person had answered the question on a form asking why they were going to the UK, with the words "annual leave vacation".

To ensure your visa is not rejected, ensure you provide all the documents in original , where possible (with each photo copy of the documents listed here.) Avoid scanned and faxed copies.


Note: Visa refusal rate is quite high in Southern part of India, especially for people applying from Hyderabad ( due to rise in forged / fake documents). It is as high as 30% for Dependant visas and 50% for visitor visas. Although the VFS claim the same to be less than 10% overall.

Once rejected you, need to re-apply paying the full visa fees again. Some applicant's do get a chance to appeal the decision with additional information or proofs, within 28 days of receiving the refusal. If the visa is refused, it best to re-apply, to avoid any additional agony and time.

Appeals are lodged with Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, in P.O Box 7866, Loughborough LE 11 2XZ, this usually takes 2-3 months and can go even longer.) or through the British High Commission application centre.


Actual Visa refusal Note: (taken from a rejected dependant visa in May '08)
"You have not given reasonable evidence that suitable accommodation has been provided for you by your sponsor. So, I am not satisfied that this meets the reuirements of the Housing Act 1985 and that there will be enough room for you and any dependant.


You have not provided enough evidence to show your sponsor owns or rents property in which you plan to live, or that mortgage or rent payments are being made. Without this, I am not satisfied that the accommodation is secure, or that you can live in the accommodation without using public funds.
You have not provided any payslips or satisfactory evidence of regualr expenditure demonstrating that your sponsor is able to support you. I am not satisfied that you or your sponsor will be able to support you in the UK without working or using public funds."

Appeals


Once Visa has been refused. Your next action:

Prevention is better than cure, and most definitely so in the case of visa applications. It is essential that every visa application is planned and checked thoroughly by a person with the necessary expertise and experience in the field of immigration, as a seemingly irrelevant or incorrect detail or omission on a visa application can lead to a visa being turned down.

Visa applicants should therefore take the utmost care to ensure they are making use of reputable immigration firms or consultants, in order to prevent the frustration of a visa being turned down, not to mention the time and expense involved in re-applying or filing an appeal.

However, getting it right first time round is the best, all is not lost if your initial application is refused. Although there are risks and costs involved, in most cases an appeal or review of the decision is possible, and in many cases a successful result can be obtained.

If you recently had your Visa application denied or turned down, it is possible to lodge an appeal if you have been;

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  refused entry clearance;
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  refused entry to the United Kingdom;
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  refused an extension of stay;
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  been deprived of UK citizenship;
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  received a notice of deportation or;
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  received a notice of removal.

According to the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, there are a number of rights and grounds upon which appeals can be brought. Some of these grounds, which are set out in s. 84 of the Act, are as follows;

• the decision was not in accordance with immigration rules;
• the decision is unlawful according to the Race Relations Act 1976;
• the decision is unlawful under the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) and therefore not in accordance with your rights under the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR);
• the decision breaches your rights as an EEA national or the family member of an EEA national under the Community Treaties;
• the decision-maker incorrectly exercised discretion under the Immigration Rules;
• or your removal from the UK would breach the UK’s obligation under the Geneva Convention on refugees or be unlawful under s. 6 of the HRA as being incompatible with your Convention Rights.

First things, first


Once you have been refused leave to enter or remain in the UK, the decision-maker (whether an entry clearance officer, immigration officer or the Secretary of State) will give you a written Notice.
This will include a statement of the reasons for the decision. If you are to be removed from the UK, the Notice will also state the country to which you are to be removed and it must also be accompanied or include the following:

• a statement advising you of your rights to appeal and the Statutory Provision upon which this right is based;
• the time limit for bringing your appeal;
• the address to which the appeal needs to be sent;
• a fax number for service by fax;
• whether there is an exception or limitation to your right of appeal;
• and whether further information is required under s.120.

You will also need to decide whether you wish your appeal to be decided at an oral or written hearing. Once your appeal forms are completed, you can send it either to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) or sometimes if you are outside the UK, to the British High Commission or Embassy in your country of application. The AIT is an independent tribunal and therefore it is not affiliated with the Home Office in any way.

If you are within the UK, your appeal should be filed with the AIT within 5 working days of receiving the Notice of Decision if you are in detention and within 10 working days if you are not. If, however, you are outside of the UK, your appeal must be received by the AIT or British High Commission or Embassy within 28 days (including holidays and non-business days) from when you received the Notice of Decision. Due to these time constraints it is strongly suggested that you contact one of our Visa Advisors as soon as you possibly can, as they are experienced in dealing with these deadlines.

Your Notice of Appeal is lodged. What next?

Once you have filed your appeal forms and supporting documents, the Entry Clearance Office which decided your case will review its original decision. If the review maintains the original decision, for non-settlement cases, the Entry Clearance Office (if you are outside of the UK) should take up to 8 weeks (11 weeks if lodged with AIT directly) to prepare the necessary documentation for your appeal.
If, however, your case is a settlement case it should take up to 16 weeks (19 weeks if lodged with AIT directly) and if it is for a visit visa, then it should take 12 weeks (15 weeks if lodged directly with AIT) to prepare the necessary documentation.

Will I need to go to the court?

If, following discussions with us, you have opted for an oral hearing, you will receive a copy of the Appeal bundle of the Entry Clearance Office or AIT documentation in advance of the hearing date. Breytenbachs will prepare all the necessary documentation for your hearing during this time, even if you are not within the UK at the time. We will attend the hearing on your behalf. Therefore if you are outside of the UK your appeal will still go ahead.

If you are within the UK, you will need to attend the hearing as main witness. If you have a sponsor, your sponsor can also attend the hearing as a witness in addition to you or in your absence. If you are attending the hearing, you should allow for the whole day, as appeals are not heard in a specific order on the day.

What happens after the appeal that has come and gone?

If you have attended an oral hearing, sometimes the Immigration Judge will give his decision at the end of the hearing but usually decisions are reserved and take 2 – 3 weeks to be received in writing. All appeal decisions are given in writing and are effective from date of written determination or promulgation. Where there has been no oral hearing the Judges’ determination will also be received in writing.


A word of Caution: Be wary of getting into the tarp of fake UK passports, IDs, Driving Licenses, as they have very high security feature and can be easily detected. UK Passports have a new security chip in it having all the details of the holder and hence unlikely to be forged.


Denial of Entry:
You can be denied entry on your arrival to the UK, even though you have a valid UK visa. The Immigration Officer, on various grounds refuse you entry, vis-a-vis your reason for entry, finances, local contact etc. The IO will give you reasonable time to put your case forward. If IO is not satisfied you would be provided with a written letter explaining the reasons for refusal. The airline which brought the visitor in will be asked to take the visitor to their home country.

Airlines pay for the return ticket in this and not the UK Immigration.




May 2010:

Refusal Due to False Documents:


Original transcript of denial from ECO / UK Home office for submitting false MBA certificates:


Candidate had applied under Tier 1 General category


"In your application you, submitted false MBA and marks sheets from Magadh. I am satisfied that they are false because of check made by the deputy high commission on 29/3/10 and 30/3/10. As false documents have been submitted in relation to your application, it is refused under paragraph 320(7a) of the immigration rules. 


Any future applications will also be automatically refused, for the same reason, under paragraph 320(7b) of the UK immigration rules HC395 (as amended) until 13/4/2020, unless a concession applies. Because you have been refused under paragraph 320, the application automatically falls to be refused under paragraph 245(b) of the immigration rules HC 395 as amended."


Although the above restriction on paper is for 10 years, it could well mean a ban for lifetime from entering the UK. There may be an option to appeal against such a decision, a candidate faces a daunting task of hiring an counsel in the UK to represent him/her, spend a lot of time and money on this. Which can take several months to reach a conclusion.

July 2010:


Example of a student visa refusal, to a student applying to extend the student visa to return to London to complete studies or dissertation. The reasons sited were three,

1. Illegible document from the University (unclear scanning and absence of original document), hence doubting the authenticity of the document.

2. Unclear and without enough explanation for delay in education within the stipulated 18 months of course duration.

3. Bank statements submitted of a person but without stating the relations with the applicant.

8th Feb 2016:

Friends off late, I have not been writing too much on the blog about visa refusal. But I would like to share that the UK remains a strict nation when it comes to issuing visas not just work related but visitors as well. There are other European countries which do not ask you as many questions as the UK Home office does, even for a short visitor visa. I would say, if you do not want your hard earned many to go in vain, please read my blog as much as possible and pay attention to detail on the key documents that are required to make your application successful. 

Key aspect is they do not want people to come to UK and overstay or depend financially on the UK public funds. Which is easier said then done. You need to prove that you do not intend to stay for long and are financially healthy as well. A sudden spurt in your account balance raises eyebrows with the UK Home office. Maintain a consistent balance and plan at least 6 months in advance before you actually travel to the UK, especially for tourism. This is one visa people get complacent about, falter and loose not just money but also valuable time.

All the best and write to me for any help you need.

Cost of Living in the UK, Entering UK

UK Cost of living:

Accommodation : £400 - £1200 p.m. Fully furnished available. (for an independant living, with family. Shared accommodation for families are also available. This usually includes boarding, electric, water, kitechen utilities (oven, cooking range, gas supply) and bathroom (washing machine), where cleaning is offered once a week only.)

Also need to consider the initial deposit that you would be required to pay to the letting agent for the accommodation, which is usually 1.5 months rent. The deposit is returned once your letting tenure (usually 6 or 12 months) is over and you vacate the house ( in the condition that was rented out to you). The letting agent may charge you a nominal fees for the services that he offers you, which can be in the range of 20%-40% of you rent.

Council Tax : £70 - £150 p.m. It is mandatory and collected by the local authority on a monthly or a early basis. (If you stay alone you can claim a discount of upto 20%.) Age of the building, insulation etc. decide how much you pay to the Council. This is utilised for schooling, security and waste management in your locality.

Gas/Electricity : £60-£100 p.m. (usualy higher during the winter months, from October to March) . If you rent a flat, you may not receive any gas connection (to avoid any accidents) and is not legal to procure one. Cooking in kitchen and heating is done using the electric connection, which can be expensive compared to gas.

Usually payable monthly or once in 3 months. You can choose the energy supplier based on the price and plan that suits you best. Some of the famous electric suppliers in UK are : e-On, Scotttish Power, British Gas, npower, Southern Electric etc.


Communication : Telephone / cell / broadband / landlines: £30-£70 p.m. (BT, O2, Orange, Virgin, T mobile, Vodafone & 3 are some famous communication providers in UK.)

News papers cost 60p to £1 daily. (The Times, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail & Gaurdian are some of the prominent printed dailies.). Books and periodicals can be accessed via the local libraries. Buying theme can be quite expensive.

Water : £50 - £70 p.m. ( Anglian water etc.)

Food : £200 - 300 p.m. (for a family of 2 adults and a child), can be less by upto 50%, if staying alone in an accommodation.) Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrison's & ASDA, which are major retail outlets of UK.

Travel : £50 - £120 p.m. (Taxis in UK can be quite expensive, they can cost £1 a mile to £3 a mile, in London, due to high congestion, they charge based on time.)

Check out National Express &
The Train Line for your bus & train travels in UK.
London Underground / Tube.

The cost of cars in the United Kingdom can also be significantly higher compared to getting them from their places of origin like Germany and Italy. A decent used (7-9 yrs. old) family car can cost upwards of £600. Having an International Driving License (with longer validity), working spouse with a driving license can help reduce the cost of car Insurance by half.

Driving in UK: Visitors with a foreign licence may drive in the UK provided their licence is valid for more than 12 months from the date of entry into the UK.

If you wish to continue driving after this period, you will need either to exchange your foreign licence for a British licence or to obtain a provisional UK licence and pass a UK driver’s test before the 12 months is up.

A provisional licence is the equivalent to the learner’s licence that you need to obtain before you can go for your driver’s test. To apply for your provisional driver’s licence, contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) directly at:

Email: drivers.dvla@gtnet.gov.uk
Website: www.dvla.gov.uk


Leisure : £20 - £your limit. p.m. (Sky, connections for cable etc.) A movie ticket can range abywhere between £4.6 to £10 per show. While theatres/ live stage shows are a rage in the UK ( esp. London.), costing anyweher between £10 to £100 each.

Taxi between Heathrow and Central London: £40-£70.

Currency: National currency is the British pound (sterling) (GBP), with one hundred pence to each pound. Notes are issued in the value of £50, £20, £10 & £5. Coins to the value of £2, £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p, & 1p.

Value Added Tax (VAT) is @20% which is payable on most retail purchases. Most baby items are exempt from this VAT. VAT is refundable on electronic goods purchase if you are returning withing 6 months of your purchase. You can claim your VAT at any of the UK exit ports.  ( e.g. Heathrow etc.)


Visit Office of National Statistics for economic releases on UK

Some Lastminute help, You can check lastminute, for a host of deals and bargains on Hotel, flight & accommodation in the UK.

Cost saving tips in UK:

There are host of websites which compare prices across various segments of the market from food, to cars to insurance to clothes. e.g. MySupermarket.co.uk can come handy, which compares prices across different websites. Gocompare for Insuarance etc.

Security:

It was in London where Big Brother ( also a famous reality show on TV ) was coined, owing to high number CCTVs ( Close circuit cameras, close to 600,000, highest in the world ) in public places, for security of the people. It is said an average person is captured 200 times by the cameras in London, making it one of the highest in security in the world.


Accommodation in UK

Have you found accommodation in the UK yet? If you are looking for a place to stay for the first couple of weeks after your arrival, we have a few sites for you to visit and on which to find accommodation.

• If you are sociable and who would like to meet people from all over the world, then why not stay in a hostel/backpackers lodge? They are inexpensive and will know all the great places to visit and clubs to go to, and there will be lots of lots of people to enjoy these activities with you. Click here to find a hostel.

• The YMCA also provides accommodation for people travelling to the UK. You can use them as a support base for the beginning of your stay. Have a look at what they can offer you by clicking here.

• Want to share a flat? Have a look on the Gumtree advertising website if you would like to organise a room for yourself in a flat share before you leave. There are many rooms available all over the UK.

Finances:

Taxation: One of the important things that you need to know, what is the tax that you will need to pay if you earn in UK. It ranges from 20% to 40%, depending on the income bracket you fall into. Also needed is to contribute for National Insurance that can be 10-11% of your gross income. ( Your employer also pays equal amount as NI for you.).

If you from a country that the UK has a double taxation avoidance treaty, then you may need to pay your tax only in one country. At the end of the financial year ( i.e. April to March) you are issue a P60 form, which has details on your employment and the tax you have paid in the last financial year. This is issue by the HMRC.

Bank Account: There are various prominent banks in UK vis-a-vis HSBC, Lloyds TSB, ICICI Bank, Barclays, NatWest etc, who offer easy ways of opening a bank account. Usully needing your passport and address proof in the UK top open the account.

Credit Card: Credit cards may not be easy to avail of, as it depends on your credit worthiness and your roots in the UK. Ideally anyone who has been living in the UK for more than 3 years. Experian is one of the reputed & trustworthy names doing the credit Checks and providing vital information about your background. (having details on your address, loans, credit cards, employment, voting status, direct debit mandates etc.) Typical rates vary from 16% APR to 39% APR.

Loans: (Home Loans, Personal Loans, Mortgages) As is the case with Credit Card, securing loans too require excellent background and credit rating. However, unsecured Loans are also available but at exhorbitant interest rates, which can go upto 140% p.a., where you re-pay them weekly.

Entering UK & Customs

Entering UK for temporary or permanent residence? You can import personal belongings duty & tax free. Any duty or tax due depends on where you came from, where you purchased the goods, how long you’ve owned them. No restrictions exists on goods purchased tax and duty paid in another EU country, however, there are limits for goods like tobacco, beer & wine.

Every port or airport in the UK use a system of red & green ‘channels’. Red means you have something to declare and green that you have nothing to declare (i.e. no more than the customs allowances, no goods to sell and no prohibited or restricted goods). If you’re certain that you have nothing to declare, pass through the ‘green channel’, otherwise take the red channel.
Customs make random checks on people going through the green channel and there are stiff penalties for violation of the rules.
If you need to pay duty or tax, it must be paid at the time the goods are brought into the country. Customs accept cash (sterling only); personal cheques supported by a cheque guarantee card; MasterCard, Visa and, at some ports and airports, Switch debit cards. If you’re unable to pay on the spot, customs keep your belongings until you pay the sum due, which must be paid within the period noted on the back of your receipt. Postage or freight charges must be paid if you want the goods sent to you.
Your belongings may be imported up to six months before, but no more than one year after your arrival, after transferring your residence. They mustn’t be sold, lent, hired out, or otherwise disposed of in the UK (or elsewhere in the EU) within one year of their importation, without first obtaining customs authorisation.
If you’re shipping your personal belongings (which includes anything for your family’s personal use – such as clothing, cameras, television and stereo, furniture and other household goods) – unaccompanied to the UK, you must complete (and sign) customs form C3, obtainable from your shipping agent, HM Customs and Excise (see address below) or www.hmce.gov.uk, and attach a detailed packing list. If you employ an international removal company, they handle the customs clearance and associated paperwork for you. Any items originally obtained in the UK or within the EU can be brought into the UK free of customs and excise duty or VAT, provided:

• Any customs duty, excise duty or VAT was paid and not refunded when they were exported from the UK (or the EU in the case of customs duty).

• They were in your private possession and use in the UK before they were exported.

• They haven’t been altered abroad, other than necessary repairs.

• They’re brought back within three years. (This is a condition which Customs & Excise normally waives if the previous three conditions have been met).

The personal belongings you’re allowed to bring into the UK duty and tax free depend on your status, as shown below.

Visitors or Students Resident Abroad

If you’re a visitor, you can bring your belongings to the UK free of duty and tax provided that:

• All belongings are brought in with you and are for your use alone.

• They’re kept in the UK for no longer than twenty four months.

• You don’t sell, lend, hire out, or otherwise dispose of them in the UK.

If you’re unable to export your belongings when you leave the UK, you must apply to the nearest Customs and Excise Advice Centre for an extension.

In addition to the above, students attending a full-time course of study in the UK, can permanently import their clothing and household linen, study articles and household effects for furnishing their accommodation.

Moving or Returning to the UK

If you’re moving or returning to the UK (including British subjects) from outside the EU, you can import your belongings free of duty and tax provided you’ve lived at least 12 months outside the EU. Your possessions must have been used for at least six months outside the EU before being imported. Tax & duty must have been paid on all items being imported (this isn’t applicable to diplomats, members of officially recognised international organisations, members of NATO or British forces and their spouses, and any civilian staff accompanying them). Articles must be for your personal use, must be declared to customs, and you mustn’t sell, lend, hire out, or otherwise dispose of them in the UK (or elsewhere in the EU) within 12 months, without customs authorisation.

People with Second Homes in the UK

If you’re setting up a second home in the UK, you can bring normal household furnishings and equipment with you free of duty and tax if you usually live in another EU country. If you’ve lived outside the EU for at least 12 months, you can import household furnishings and equipment for setting up a second home free of duty, but not free of added tax (VAT), which is levied at 17.5 per cent.

To qualify, you must either own or be renting a home in the UK for a minimum of two years, and your household furnishings and equipment must have been owned and used for at least six months. Articles must be for your personal use, must be declared to customs, and mustn’t be sold, lent out, hired out, or otherwise disposed of in the UK (or elsewhere in the EU) within 24 months without authorisation from Customs and Excise. If furnishings and effects for a second home in the EU are imported unaccompanied, customs form C33 must be completed.

Further Information

Information concerning customs regulations is contained in a number of booklets, called Notices. They cover personal belongings, household effects, private motor vehicles and people moving to the UK after marriage (Notice 3); pleasure craft or boats (Notice 8); inherited goods and vehicles (Notice 368); antiques (Notice 362); and motor vehicles, boats or aircraft from elsewhere in the EU (Notice 728).

Copies of the notices listed above can be obtained from customs offices or downloaded from www.hmce.gov.uk. The primary source of further information is the Customs and Excise national advice line 0845-010 9000 (or if telephoning from abroad +4420-8929 0152). Email and postal enquiry addresses for your local area can be found by using a search feature on the website. The principal address for written enquiries in London is HM Customs and Excise, Thomas Paine House, Angel Square, Torrens Street, London EC1V 1TA. Customs and Excise can also provide detailed information regarding the importation of special items.