Press release -
Discovery launches exclusive UK visa services in South Africa, featuring a first-of-its-kind visa centre
Johannesburg, 17 February 2026 – The United Kingdom is the most popular international holiday destination for Vitality Travellers, with over 16,000 members and their families travelling on discounted flights between South Africa and the UK in 2025. Today, Discovery announced a pioneering new service to simplify the UK visa application process for clients.
South Africa’s first dedicated visa application centre, in partnership with VFS Global, is located in the Discovery Store at 1 Discovery Place in Sandton, Johannesburg.
In addition to Discovery’s international flight discounts of up to 75% with Vitality Travel, as well as the Smart ID and passport services, this exclusive new service will make travelling to the UK even more convenient and rewarding.
Vitality Travel is Discovery’s integrated travel booking platform that gives members access to exclusive, market‑leading discounts on flights, accommodation and car hire, along with seamless booking, automatic travel insurance and premium airport experiences - all unlocked through healthy behaviours and smart financial decisions.
A seamless, integrated client experience
Hylton Kallner, CEO of Discovery Bank, highlights the unique value of integrating this service into the bank’s ecosystem: “This partnership is another step in realising our vision of making banking and travel seamless. The Discovery Store, a physical representation of the Discovery brand, is already a one-stop destination where clients can apply for an ID or passport, complete health assessments and manage their financial needs.
“Now, by integrating a dedicated UK visa application centre right here, we are creating a truly integrated and convenient hub for our clients. It’s about bringing essential services together in one place, saving them time and simplifying their journey,” he says.
Mr. Siddharth Mehra, Chief Operating Officer - Middle East, Africa, Türkiye and Azerbaijan, VFS Global, added, “We are delighted to partner with Discovery to launch South Africa’s first dedicated UK visa application centre within the Discovery Store in Sandton. This innovative collaboration brings together two organisations focused on enhancing customer experience, delivering a more seamless, accessible and premium way for applicants to submit their UK visa applications, while maintaining the highest standards of security, efficiency and service excellence.”
Two tiers of convenience
For all Discovery Bank clients: exclusive visa application centre
Clients gain complimentary, exclusive access to the appointment-only visa application centre at 1 Discovery Place in Sandton. This centrally located facility offers shorter wait times and a bespoke service environment for document submission and biometric enrolment.
For Discovery Bank Purple Suite clients: a premium at-home service
Discovery Bank Purple clients enjoy discounted, premium benefits, including access to the On-Demand Mobile Visa (ODMV) service. Dedicated Purple Travel Consultants will help Purple clients schedule an appointment in the comfort of their home or office in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban or Pretoria. During the appointment, VFS Global will process their visa application, enroll biometrics, as well as collect their passport in a comfortable, central location.
To use the service, Discovery Bank clients must complete the visa application form on www.gov.uk. Once they’ve received a reference number, clients can book an appointment to visit the visa centre through Vitality Travel:
- Log in to the Vitality Travel booking platform from their laptop or desktop computer.
- Select "New Visa Support Appointment" at the top of the page.
- Select "Book your appointment" and complete the form to schedule an appointment with VFS Global at 1 Discovery Place.
VFS Global and Discovery provide administrative support only and do not influence visa processing timelines or decisions. All applications are assessed and determined by UK Visas & Immigration.
Bookings are by appointment only and walk-ins won’t be accommodated. For more information on eligibility and detailed terms and conditions, visit here.
ENDS
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About Discovery
Discovery Limited is a South African-founded financial services organisation that operates in the healthcare, life assurance, short-term insurance, banking, savings and investment and wellness markets. Since inception in 1992, Discovery has been guided by a clear core purpose – to make people healthier and to enhance and protect their lives. This has manifested in its globally recognised Vitality Shared-Value insurance model, active in over 40 markets with over 40 million members. The model is exported and scaled through the Global Vitality Network, an alliance of some of the largest insurers across key markets including AIA (Asia), Ping An (China), Generali (Europe), Sumitomo (Japan), John Hancock (US), Manulife (Canada) and Vitality Life & Health (UK, wholly owned). Discovery trades on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange as DSY.
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About Discovery Bank
Discovery Bank is part of Discovery Limited, a financial services organisation that operates in healthcare, life assurance, short-term insurance, investments, banking, and wellness industries, in over 40 markets globally. Built on a shared-value model, Discovery Bank is fundamentally designed to create unique shared value for clients, differentiating the Bank from traditional banking models. Clients are encouraged to manage their money well, monetising healthy financial behaviours that lower their financial risk and realises long-term default and risk savings for the Bank. Discovery Bank shares this value with clients in the form of better interest rates, deep discounts and significant rewards from an exclusive retail, lifestyle and wellness partner network. The model has an overall positive impact on clients, society and Discovery Bank - clients experience greater financial wellbeing, the risk of defaults for Discovery Bank is lowered making the business more sustainable; while improved financial behaviours such as increased savings, higher retirement savings and lower debt levels, benefit society as a whole. Behaviour change and rewards are enabled through Vitality Money, an AI-powered programme on the Discovery Bank app that gives clients an understanding of the behaviours that influence their financial wellbeing, while giving them the tools to improve their financial behaviours. The more clients improve their financial behaviour, the higher their Vitality Money status and the greater the value they receive.
