Category Archives: Visa

The UAE Cabinet has approved the issuance of a five-year multi-entry tourist visa for all nationalities visiting the country. The decision was made during the Cabinet’s first meeting during 2020 the Year of Preparation, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The move comes in a bid to support the UAE’s tourism economy and affirm the country’s position as a global tourist destination. The decision is one of the first policy changes in line with the mega event -Expo 2020 planned in the UAE this year. Another key decision made during the meeting includes the introduction of a visa waiver for Mexican citizens travelling to the UAE. The two decisions will be implemented during the first quarter of 2020. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid emphasised that 2019 was a year full of achievements across multiple areas, adding, “We are leaving this year behind and we are proud of our government working teams, and we are full of excitement and positive energy for the year of preparation for the next fifty years to come.”

Holders of US, UK or Schengen visas can now obtain a visa on arrival in Saudi Arabia, it has been announced recently. The move comes in line with the kingdom’s recent implementation of tourist visas. While holders of American, UK and Schengen visas will now be able to obtain a tourist visa on arrival, they are not eligible for the electronic visa system. However, the visitor must have already used his US, UK or Schengen visa to visit the respective countries before arriving in Saudi Arabia.

VFS Global has launched mobile biometrics service for customers applying for Italian tourist visa across India, enabling them to submit applications, documents, and enrol biometrics from any location of their choice. This ‘doorstep’ service can be delivered to individuals and groups living in all cities in India. A team of VFS Global staff will visit the customer at the location to collect their visa application and enrol biometric data. They will also be available to assist with any visa application queries. Submissions from large tour groups, business delegates and school trips wishing to travel to Italy, will especially benefit from this  new service, as applicants will not be required to visit a Visa Application Centre to submit their applications. The documents, once processed with the visa decision will be returned by courier to the customer’s desired location. The mobile biometrics service is optional and applicants will have to pay an additional fee. According to the Embassy of Italy in India, 555,000 travellers from India visited Italy in 2019, which indicated a 15 per cent increase over the previous year.

Russia is set to offer e-visa facility to all regions of the Russian Federation by 2021, after offering free e-visa to Indians tourists travelling to four regions of the Russian Federation including St. Petersberg, Leningrad, Kaliningrad and Far East region. The Federal Agency for Tourism expects that introducing electronic visas for Indian citizens is an effective way to provide an increase in the flow of both group and individual tourists form the country by more than 20 per cent. The topic of e-visa and the mechanism for obtaining them was the key aspects in the framework of the presentation event, ‘Russia 2020, EURO as a gift’, organised in Delhi by the Federal Agency to present the main tourist products of Russia in the Indian market. India is placed third in terms of growth in tourist flow from the Asian region with 47.8 per cent growth.

Indian residents can now apply for a Polish visa through VFS Global with the inauguration of Visa Application Centres in New Delhi and Mumbai. VFS Global will soon offer Polish visa services in 8 other cities such as Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Kolkata. The centre in New Delhi was officially inaugurated by H.E. Adam Burakowski, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland to India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Afghanistan.

Residents of Mumbai and New Delhi travelling to Bulgaria can now apply for their visas through VFS Global at the new Bulgaria Visa Application Centres launched in the cities. In the coming months, VFS Global will commence Bulgaria visa services in 14 additional cities across India, namely Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Goa, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Kochi, Kolkata, Puducherry, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram. The wide network of operations will also be leveraged to promote Bulgaria as an ideal destination for Indian travellers. Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO, Middle East, South Asia and China, VFS Global said, “VFS Global has been working closely with Bulgaria, offering visa services in other regions, and is honoured have this trust reinforced through this extension of services to India. Bulgaria has been rapidly climbing every Indian traveller’s wish list, and we look forward to providing our best-in-class visa services to them.”

During the month of October, 2019 total of 2,77,062 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 2,22,134 during the month of October, 2018 registering a growth of 24.7%, reveals Ministry of Tourism. During January- October 2019, a total of 21,75,727 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 17,99,552 during January- October 2018, registering a growth of 20.9 per cent.

The city of Hyderabad has got its first Visa Application Centre for the Netherlands. Anneke Adema, Deputy Head of Mission, the Netherlands Embassy in India, officially inaugurated the centre. VFS Global has been offering visa services for the Netherlands in India since 2008 through a network of seven centres – New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Jalandhar. The addition of the centre in Hyderabad brings the visa services closer to home for customers in the State of Andhra Pradesh, and will help the organisation better cater to the growing demand for travel to the destination from India. Anneke Adema, Deputy Head of Mission, the Netherlands Embassy in India mentioned the ever increasing number of Indians welcomed to the Netherlands. She stressed her determination to handle the visa procedures as efficiently and customer friendly as possible, to which end she was looking forward to the extended cooperation between the Netherlands embassy and VFS Global in Hyderabad. Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO – Middle East, South Asia and China, VFS Global said, “Our association with the Netherlands Embassy in India has been long standing and strong, and the expansion of our network of centres on their behalf is testament to their faith in our services and abilities. We look forward to serving the residents of Andhra Pradesh through our new centre in Hyderabad.” Customers can also avail a range of optional services for a smooth and seamless visa application process, including the Premium Lounge, which offers end-to-end personalised assistance, in a plush ambience. Worldwide, VFS Global serves the Netherlands in 38 countries through 84 Visa Application Centres.  Optional services available at the centre: Premium Lounge for end to end personalised …

In a bid to strengthen India’s relationships with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Indian Government has decided to offer visa-on-arrival facility for UAE nationals travelling to India. The facility will be available to UAE nationals for a period of up to 60 days with double entry for business, tourism, conference and medical purposes. This facility will be available at six international airports: Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai. The facility will be available to only those UAE nationals who have earlier obtained and e-visa or a normal paper visa for India, irrespective of whether the person actually visited India or not. Those UAE nationals going to India for the first time may be advised to apply for e-Visa or a normal paper Visa. Pakistan-origin UAE nationals will not be eligible for Visa-on-Arrival Scheme. Nationals of Japan, South Korea are also eligible for the facility.

VFS Global has been named an official ticket re-seller for Expo 2020 Dubai, the World’s Greatest Show, to be held in the UAE between 20 October 2020 and 10 April 2021. Customers travelling to the UAE during Expo 2020 can visit their nearest VFS Global Visa Application Centre in the GCC, India, China, Russia, UK and Germany to plan their trip, leverage VFS Global’s services and reserve their Expo 2020 tickets. Business travellers can start booking their tickets from today, from destination management companies, travel agents and educational institutions, while leisure travellers will be able to do so early next year on vfsglobal.com. VFS Global will be offering a range of packages with suggested itineraries that include single- and three-day passes to visit Expo 2020 Dubai. Customers who opt to submit their visa application through the Premium Lounge, or hold a VFS Global Privilege Program membership, can also enjoy discounts on the packages they purchase.