Tag Archives: Visa

Addressing TAFI members in Mumbai, Fernando Heredia Noguer, Consul General of Spain in Mumbai, said, “We have increased our visa processing capacity by 30 per cent in 2023 compared to 2022 and increased 40 per cent compared to the average of the four years before the pandemic! In 2023, we managed to issue almost 52K visas versus 40,000 visa applications in 2022.”

1) What is VFS Global’s role in the visa process? VFS Global’s role in the visa application process is limited to front-end administrative tasks only, which include collecting visa application forms, required documentation as per the checklist, and enrol biometrics, if applicable. This allows diplomatic missions (embassies/consulates) to effectively manage their time and resources and focus on the critical task of assessing visa applications and decision making. VFS Global plays no role in the decision-making process of granting or refusing a visa. 2) What is VFS Global’s role in providing visa appointments and visa decisions? VFS Global’s role in the visa application process is limited to front-end administrative tasks only, which include collecting visa application forms, required documentation as per the checklist, and enrol biometrics, if applicable. Visa appointments are available online on first-come first-serve basis as per the directives of the client governments we serve. Decisions on visa applications, including the availability of appointment slots and the timelines to process them, are at the sole discretion of the respective client governments and may vary from one mission to another. 3) How early before my travel dates should I apply for my visa? When planning your travels, you always book flights and hotels in advance. Do the same for visas. Most countries accept visa applications up to 90 days (3 months) before your date of travel. According to the revised Schengen Visa Code, effective 02 February 2020, you can apply for a Schengen visa up to 6 months before your date of travel. VFS Global forwards applications to respective embassy/consulate as per the agreed service level agreements with them. 4) What is the typical turnaround timelines for visas? Each country …

With the impending peak season, Harmandeep Singh Anand, MD, Jagsons Travels, says that to avoid last-minute rush for visas and prevent visa shopping, travel agents must guide their clients on when to apply for visas, depending on the country their wish to travel to. “Every year during peak season there is a lot of traffic for European destinations and Indian travellers tend to decide their holidays very last minute and expect their visas within a short span of time. However, visa as such has never been a problem if one applies in advance. Most of the embassies have increased their time when you can apply for a visa. For instance, you can apply for a Schengen visa as early as six months in advance! We see a lot of rush starting from March onwards. Next month will be super peak which leads to a lot of visa shopping. None of the European destinations had a challenge; they only had a restricted number of visa that would be issued. If you look at Italy, it has made it simpler in terms of repeat visitors to Schengen territory in the last eight years where they have opened up additional appointment slots. So agents must guide their clients in terms of applying for visas,” he shares.

According to UN Tourism’s Tourism Visa Openness report, traditional visa requirements continue to be the most prevalent form of entry regulation, with a considerable impact on international mobility. In 2023, these traditional visa policies affect almost half of the world’s population, 47% to be precise.

According to VFS Global, the visa application volume from New Delhi registered a 10 per cent year over year growth in 2023. When compared to pre-COVID numbers, visa application volumes from the city reached 82 per cent. Visa application volumes from New Delhi continued to stay strong last year, it added.

Shikhar Aggarwal, Joint Managing Director, BLS, said, “A PAN Card is not a mandatory requirement for a Schengen Visa. However, voluntarily submitting your PAN Card or additional financial credentials can enhance the overall strength of your visa application and provide further assurance of your financial stability to the authorities.”

Online visa application platform Atlys has raised USD 12 million in a Series A round led by Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India) and Elevation Capital. The funds raised will be used to expand the platform’s product offerings for travellers, attract customers, and further strengthen the team through talent acquisition.    

Sara Sodhi Juneja, Country Head, India & Gulf, Visit Finland, said, “Overall growth has been good, but, demand was high corresponding to number of visas. To streamline visa processing, we have started new office in Helsinki with dedicated team.”   

Every Indian dreams of travelling abroad. However, it is critical to possess a Visa for it. Indians make mistakes which has an impact on their Visa application and immigration history. 10 common mistakes Indians do when applying for visa: Wrong selection of category: Visas can be applied for various purposes like tourism, business visits, attending a conference or visiting a family or friend. Applying for visa in the wrong category leads to incorrect application being submitted and thus refusal of Visa. Multiple purpose of travel: The purpose with the highest priority should be selected to apply for Visa as selecting multiple purposes arouses suspicion regarding the intent to leave the destination at the end of trip. Duration of the trip: While applying for Visa, it is recommended to present application for a moderate and short trip as longer stay in their travel might get their Visa rejected. Delay in Visa application: The Embassy of each country has many Visa applications to be processed. It is advisable to apply for Visa as soon as your trip is planned. There are many formalities and procedures in between. Visa process of every country is different: Assuming that Visa procedures is same for every country is one of the most common mistakes Indians do while applying for it. For example: Schengen provides Visa-free travel to 27 countries, but requirements and criterias are different. On the other hand, US Visas have a compulsary interview round. Lack of Awareness: Most Indian citizens do not have idea about what is Visa, their category and duration. Also, they not have an idea about time it takes to apply for Visa, or fees. Thus, ignorance makes their Visa application rejected. No professional …

The recently released report by Visa and EY has revealed that India is expected to receive 30.5 million international travelers for spiritual purposes by 2028. It also says that there will be a huge surge in international spiritual tourism into India to complement domestic spiritual travel, which is estimated to be 60 percent of the total domestic travel in India.