Category Archives: Visa

BLS International has revealed that it has started accepting visa applications for the Embassy of Thailand in Delhi. Shikhar Aggarwal, Jt. Managing Director, BLS International, said, “We are pleased to partner with the Embassy of Thailand and will ensure a smooth, efficient and delightful experience for the applicants. Our endeavour has always been to facilitate best-in-class services to the travellers by creating value for our stakeholders. We at BLS have reinvented the wheel of visa services by making it a holistic solution with dedicated and professional teams that bring highest levels of customer satisfaction.”

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, speaking at the Virtual ITM, said that India is emerging as a crucial destination as far as medical tourism is concerned. “To encourage it further, we have already started issuing medical visa and are planning to soon restart e-tourist visa as well as scheduled international flights,” he said.

Dr Harsh Vardhan, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, speaking at the Virtual ITM, said that India is emerging as a crucial place as far as medical tourism is concerned. “To encourage it further, we have already started issuing medical visa and are planning to soon restart e-tourist visas as well as scheduled international flights,” he said.

VFS Global has been awarded the contract for Morocco visa services starting from 21 January 2021, and VACs have been rolled out in Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai. The centres are currently accepting work, business, seminars/conferences, student/researcher, family reunification, journalist and investor visas. Issuance of tourist visas is currently on hold due to the ongoing pandemic and related border closures. Pranav Sinha, Head – South Asia, VFS Global, says, “We are excited about starting the new year with a new partnership, and welcoming Morocco as VFS Global’s 65th client government.” As part of precautionary measures, customers visiting our centres may be subjected to body temperature checks to assess their health conditions and required to wear face mask and gloves. Customers exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, including fever (higher than 37.3 degrees Celsius), cough and difficulty breathing will be allowed to reschedule their application submission for another day and will be advised to seek medical attention at the nearest healthcare facility of their choice.

In response to suggestions requested from tourism stakeholders to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) recently issued for restoration of tourist visa, the trade has recommended that Conference Visa may also be restored along with the tourist visa for supporting the M!CE market, and that SOPs be customised for the same.

Travellers from the 103 countries including India are now allowed to enter Oman without securing a prior visa and can stay for up to 14 days after the Sultanate decided to extend it Visa-free period.

VFS Global has been appointed as the exclusive service provider for visa, OCI, passport, renunciation of Indian citizenship, and Global Entry Programme (GEP) verification services for Indian, US and third-country citizens in the in the United States. From November 2020, you can visit India Consular Application Centres in six cities: Washington DC, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, India visa services remain suspended; re-start date to be announced according to directives of the Embassy of India in USA. In these cities, VFS Global will provide the following services for Indian or US citizens, and for third-country nationals, from November 2020: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) application, passport application, renunciation of Indian citizenship and Global Entry Programme (GEP) verification services. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, India visa services remain suspended at present. The re-start date for visa services will be announced according to directives of the Embassy of India in USA. The centres will be equipped with world-class facilities aimed at providing an easily accessible and a superior application experience for customers and will make the application process more convenient for travellers. These services are expected to benefit the over 4 million-strong Indian diaspora community in the United States, as well as customers who apply for India visas from the US. Customers can visit https://www.indianembassyusa.gov.in or the latest information on the services offered. VFS Global has been serving the Government of India since 2008. The United States is the 12th country in which VFS Global will provide passport, visa and consular services for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. At present, VFS Global manages 44 Passport and Visa Application Centres for the Government of India in 11 …

With borders gradually opening, VFS Global has started re-opening its Visa Application Centres and resuming services for around 25 countries in accordance with the rules set by the respective governments. “Over the last few weeks, VFS Global’s Visa Application Centres (VACs) resumed operations, with a few countries opening up the application process for limited categories. Since then, visa applications for around 25 countries have resumed at select Centres across India,” according to an update from VFS Global

As part of its commitment to enhance the visa system experience for students, United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has introduced flexibility in visa rules, with health precautions throughout the visa system, to ensure a comfortable and safe environment for all customers, especially incoming international students, along with its visa services partner VFS Global.  UK Visas and Immigration has introduced greater flexibility in visa rules, allowing students to apply for visas when they are able to travel to the UK, rather than at the start of their studies, with health precautions throughout the visa system along with visa services partner VFS Global, to ensure a comfortable and safe environment throughout the visa application process. Study visa applications for the UK can be made in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru (Global Tech Park only), Chandigarh, Chennai, Jalandhar, Kochi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai (Mahalaxmi only), New Delhi (Shivaji Metro Stadium only), and Pune. In order to ensure a safe environment for customers and employees, VFS Global has established standardised protective measures to be followed across all its UK Visa Application Centres. To ensure health and safety norms are followed, the centres have implemented a mandatory online appointment system, besides checking body temperature of all customers at the entrance, and maintaining physical distancing measures. Additionally, staff also carry out preventive measures such as disinfecting high-contact surfaces, body temperature screenings, use of hand sanitisers, regular hand washing, etc. Since 06 July 2020, UK Visa Application Centres have re-opened in 11 cities in India in a phased manner: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru (Global Tech Park only), Chandigarh, Chennai, Jalandhar, Kochi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai (Mahalaxmi only), New Delhi (Shivaji Metro Stadium only), and Pune – and these centres are receiving Tier 4 …

VFS Global has launched online appointment booking service for COVID-19 sample collection, in association with certified medical laboratories, in Mumbai, Delhi and Kochi, in response to the evolving travel guidelines and consumer convenience. Similar offerings will be extended to customers in Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Pune in the coming weeks. This service is offered in association with a network of certified medical laboratories approved by the Government of India and having all due accreditations for swab collection for COVID-19. Customers in Delhi, Kochi and Mumbai can book appointments on VFS Global’s website (https://www.vfsglobal.com/en/individuals/indiacovidtest.html) and provide samples at designated associate medical laboratories from 10 August 2020. ‘At Your Doorstep’ services are also offered in Mumbai, Delhi and Kochi, that enables sample collection from the safety and comfort of a customer’s home. Samples are collected by trained medical professionals from associate medical laboratories and the reports directly sent with full confidentiality to the registered email address of the customer. Who can avail this service? The COVID-19 RT-PCR Sample Collection service is open for all and is not limited to travellers. The service can be availed by those who may or may not be exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms (strictly as per local regulations of various states), and only with a doctor’s prescription in Delhi and Kochi. A dedicated help desk is also provided for VFS Global customers next to select VFS Global Centres to assist with this service. Speaking about the service, Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO – South Asia, Middle East & North Africa, and Americas, said, “We believe a convenient and reliable pre-departure COVID-19 sample collection/testing solution can become a catalyst in the recovery process of international travel …