A “VITAL service” for granting and assessing visas and immigration status will be “temporarily” lost when the Post Office in Aberystwyth is relocated - leading to fears that foreign students could be put at a disadvantage.

The decison to move the Post Office in the town from the historic building on Great Darkgate Street to the back of the W H Smith store on Terrace Road will lead to an “interruption” in the provision of the UKVI Biometric Enrolment Service, which provides visas and other services to foreign nationals.

The Post Office did not say how long the service would not be available in Aberystwyth, and said that those wanting the service could travel to Port Talbot - over 80 miles away.

Ceredigion MP Mark Williams said the move was “unacceptable” and urged the services to be switched when the branch moves.

The Post Office said that “the UKVI Biometric Enrolment Service at the new branch will be subject to Home Office checks and validation. We anticipate that there may be a short interruption to the availability of this service at the new location due to this, however, we will work with WH Smith and UK Border Agency to do all we can to reduce the length of time this service will be unavailable.

“In the meantime, the new branch will continue to offer the DVLA Photocard Driving Licence renewal and Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence application services.”

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