Category Archives: Visa

Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (I/C) for Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, GoI, inaugurated the prestigious VISA-THSC Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Project in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, on 19 November. The Minister, who endorsed the MoU signing between THSC and VISA, has been instrumental in championing this transformative initiative, which is set to recognize, certify, and upskill over 20,000 individuals across India’s tourism and hospitality sectors over the next three years. In his inaugural address, Chaudhary underscored the profound impact of this project, stating, “Through the RPL initiative, we are not merely certifying skills; we are acknowledging and validating the hard work, expertise, and experience of our people. This project is a powerful step toward recognizing and empowering the skilled workforce in Bharatpur and Rajasthan, especially in tourism and hospitality—sectors integral to India’s growth and cultural heritage. By certifying these skills, we are laying a strong foundation for economic upliftment and sustained job creation.” Targeting the certification of nearly 7,000 individuals in its first year alone across India, the project focuses on roles such as Tour Guide, Customer Service Executive, Food Server, Walk Tour Facilitator, and Paragliding Ground Crew Chief. Bharatpur’s Keoladeo National Park—a UNESCO World Heritage site and major tourist attraction—offers an ideal setting for the project, enabling local residents to gain formal recognition and contribute as ambassadors of India’s heritage and hospitality. Rajan Bahadur, CEO of THSC, shared his vision for the VISA-THSC RPL Project, stating, “The Project aligns closely with THSC’s mission to bridge skill gaps in the tourism and hospitality sectors by providing individuals with industry-recognized certifications. This initiative will uplift livelihoods in Bharatpur and beyond, enhancing service quality across the industry. By raising service standards, …

According to Amruta Bangera, Director of Marketing, Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT), Mumbai, around 8,500 Indians visited the country till Oct 2024. “We hope that by the end of 2024, the number of Indians tourists will reach around 10,000 and IMOT is planning to launch e-visa for Indians in 2025,” she shared.

On 14 November 2024, the Consulate General of Italy in Bengaluru and VFS Global inaugurated the new VFS Global Visa Application Centre in Bengaluru, exclusively dedicated to Italy. The new Centre is centrally located in the Vasanth Nagar area, close to the Government seat of Vidhana Soudha and easily accessible from the city international airport. The event was attended by representatives from the public sector and other Consulates, and by selected professionals from the travel and tourism industry. Alfonso Tagliaferri, Consul General of Italy in Bengaluru, said in his welcome remarks: “We are very satisfied to inaugurate the new Bengaluru Visa Application Centre, dedicated exclusively to Italy. The new Centre will allow us to significantly increase the quality of the service provided to the public, which will enjoy a less-crowded experience, tailored for their Italian trip. At the same time, through this new application centre we will be able to better meet the ever-increasing demand for Italy as expressed by Indian citizens. A demand that will grow even further, with the implementation of the Mobility and Migration Partnership Agreement recently signed by Italy and India. The Bengaluru Consulate has been opened since only a year, serving the population of four large Southern States like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The new VFS centre, together with a more pleasant experience for the public, will allow us to better streamline our procedures, in order to process more visas, faster.” Yummi Talwar, Chief Operating Officer, South Asia, VFS Global, said, “VFS Global shares a long-standing relationship with the Government of Italy since 2004 and we are excited to expand our partnership further. We currently operate 11 Italy Visa Application Centres in …

Indian nationals were the largest group to receive UK visas for Visit, Study and Work categories in the year ending June 2024, said HE Lindy Cameron CB OBE, British High Commissioner to India at the inauguration of the new state-of-art UK visa application facility operated by VFS Global in Delhi on 12 November 2024. UK visa customers from India will now enjoy a smoother process. At VFS Global UK Visa Application Centres (VACs), biometrics will be enrolled first, followed by document scanning for non-digital customers. This change reduces wait times and enhances service under the global UK visa services contract secured by VFS Global in December 2023. Many VACs have also relocated or upgraded to state-of-the-art facilities across India. Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India said: “The UK-India partnership is built on millions of personal connections, shared dreams, and collective aspirations. I’m delighted to launch the refurbished VFS Visa Application Centre for UK visa and passport applications in Delhi. We’re introducing significant improvements in our visa services across India, further strengthening our already excellent visa offering for Indian nationals. The vast majority of Visit, Work and Study visa applications we receive are processed within 3 weeks and there are no caps on visa appointments.” Matt Heath, Visits & ETA Network Deputy Director, UK Visas and Immigration, remarked, “I am delighted to be here, in Delhi, to inaugurate this visa application centre, we extend our sincere thanks to VFS for their outstanding support in facilitating close to a million visa applications for Indian nationals in the recent year ending June 2024. For the last two years, UKVI has consistently met our customer service standards, making visa decisions for visit, work …

In a first-of-its-kind initiative to attract more foreign tourists to India, the Ministry of Tourism is all set to launch the Chalo India promotional campaign on the sidelines of the ongoing World Travel Mart in London. Under the initiative, the government will allow one lakh free e-visas for “friends” of diaspora members. Five foreign nationals nominated by each Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder on a special portal will be eligible for a gratis e-visa (visa granted without fees).

Thailand has extended its visa-free entry policy for Indian citizens indefinitely. Under the program, Indian citizens can enjoy a hassle-free entry into Thailand for a stay of up to 30 days without obtaining a visa beforehand. As per reports, 1 million Indian visitors travelled to Thailand between January and June this year.

VFS Global has worked with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland since 2010 and under the new agreement will continue to provide Schengen short terms visa services and Residence permit services including biometric enrolment in 32 countries (including India) across 10 regions. Since 2010, VFS Global has handled more than 8.5 million visa applications on behalf of the Government of Finland. Present were several esteemed dignitaries including Jussi Tanner, Director General Consular Services, Ari Uusikartano, Senior Ministerial Adviser and Director of Information and Documentation at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and Zubin Karkaria, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global Group. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland said: “We anticipate a seamless and professional collaboration with VFS Global. In our tender, we especially highlighted the global coverage of the outsourced services, quality of biometrics and technical capacity, quality control, risk management and customer service. The external service provider receives applications, collects biometric data and application fees and forwards them to the missions. It does not make visa decisions. Visa decisions continue to be the responsibility of Foreign Ministry officials.” Jiten Vyas, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Business Development, VFS Global, said: “VFS Global is delighted that we will continue to serve the Government of Finland as their trusted service provider. We have enjoyed a strong partnership with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and welcome the opportunity to renew our services. We look forward to offering visa applicants best-in-class visa solutions, and a seamless application process across 10 regions globally.”

VFS Global has worked with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland since 2010 and under the new agreement will continue to provide Schengen short terms visa services and Residence permit services including biometric enrolment in 32 countries (including India) across 10 regions. Since 2010, VFS Global has handled more than 8.5 million visa applications on behalf of the Government of Finland. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland said, “We anticipate a seamless and professional collaboration with VFS Global. In our tender, we especially highlighted the global coverage of the outsourced services, quality of biometrics and technical capacity, quality control, risk management and customer service. The external service provider receives applications, collects biometric data and application fees and forwards them to the missions. It does not make visa decisions. Visa decisions continue to be the responsibility of Foreign Ministry officials.” Jiten Vyas, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Business Development, VFS Global, said, “VFS Global is delighted that we will continue to serve the Government of Finland as their trusted service provider. We have enjoyed a strong partnership with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and welcome the opportunity to renew our services. We look forward to offering visa applicants best-in-class visa solutions, and a seamless application process across 10 regions globally.” 10 regions worldwide where these services will continue to operate are South Asia, the Americas, Southeast Asia, China, the Middle East, North Africa, Africa, Europe, CIS and Russia. VFS Global is responsible for managing the front-end administrative duties only. This includes the collection of application forms and required documents as per the checklist as well as the enrolment of biometrics. VFS Global does not play a …

New Indonesia Electronic Visa on Arrival (e-VoA) service to commence in the first half of December 2024. Dedicated email and live support to be available in seven languages – English, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, German, and French. Multilingual website to be available in seven languages – English, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, German, and French. Group booking facility to be available for the benefit of travel trade and conventions. The Directorate General of Immigration under the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Indonesia has appointed VFS Global, the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions, as the exclusive private service provider for Electronic Visa on Arrival (e-VoA) to make the process seamless, promote inbound tourism, increase investments into Indonesia, and enhance overall traveller experience. VFS Global’s new e-VoA platform, set to commence in the first half of December 2024, will be available for nationals of the 97 countries eligible for e-VoA, including India. Travellers will soon be able to enjoy a quicker and smoother visa application journey through VFS Global by completing the entire process online before departure and receiving a pre-approved e-VoA. The e-VoA can be easily obtained by visiting VFS Global website, submitting all the required documents, and paying the necessary fees online prior to travel. Once the application is submitted, travellers can receive their visas on their email before departure. With the payment having been made online, travellers can enjoy a smoother and faster entry experience through E-gates or immigration counters. Silmy Karim, Director General, Immigration of Indonesia, said, “The Directorate General of Immigration offers the latest digital solutions that enhance the experience for foreign nationals who wish to visit Indonesia. In our …

Government is exploring visa-on-arrival for countries that send the biggest numbers of tourists to India, said Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism. “We are also working with the MEA to explore ways to engage with top markets to promote India as a global destination,” he added.