Category Archives: Visa

VFS Global has entered an agreement with the Ministry of Commerce, Saudi Arabia, to provide visa application services through a centre operated within the premises of the Ministry of Commerce headquarters in Riyadh. The agreement was signed in the presence of Eng. Mohammed A. Al. Alwaily, Deputy Minister for Shared Services, Ministry of Commerce. Through this partnership, VFS Global will cater to about 8000 employees and delegates, as well as personnel of subsidiary government institutions under the Ministry. In keeping with its commitment to making people’s cross border mobility simple and convenient through highly secure, reliable, efficient, and innovative technology solutions, applicants can also opt for the Visa At Your Doorstep* service to have trained professionals visit a location of choice to complete the visa application process. Zubin Karkaria, Founder and CEO, VFS Global said, “It is an honour to have entered this strategic partnership with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Commerce. We are pleased to offer this dedicated Visa Application Centre service to the employees and associates of the Ministry, to further enhance their visa application experience in a seamless, convenient and secure manner. This partnership further strengthens our commitment to this great nation.”

VFS Global announces its achievement of securing a rating of 4.01 on a scale of 5 for 2023 on Glassdoor, a leading platform for employee feedback and company reviews. This significant achievement reflects VFS Global’s unwavering commitment to excellence in every aspect of its people management and human capital development. With an employee value proposition of developing a ‘fellowship of winners’, VFS Global is deeply committed to best-in-class HR practices and to developing every team member to her/his full potential.  The company has continuously invested in training and development and in building an organisation where people come first, and in creating meaningful work opportunities and building successful careers, in a diverse and inclusive workplace. The six parameters on which Glassdoor assesses companies is based on Excelling in Culture & Values, Work/Life Balance, Senior Management, Compensation & Benefits, Career Opportunities, and Diversity & Inclusion. VFS Global has elevated its standing on all of them. VFS Global has set a benchmark in creating an exemplary work culture that resonates with employee satisfaction and empowerment. This recognition not only celebrates the company’s achievements but also solidifies its reputation as an employer of choice in the global marketplace. This rating is even more satisfying as this reaffirms the company’s employee centric policies and its sharp focus on nurturing the potential of its employees as it has always focussed on Learning and Development programmes which is highly appreciated by its workforce. Over the years, the company has also won recognition by winning the Golden Peacock National Training Award four times since 2017 in recognition for its exemplary learning and development practices. The last it won was in 2023. According to Nirbhik Goel, Chief Human Resources Officer, VFS Global, …

The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has awarded VFS Global the global tender to provide visa and residence permit services in 52 countries across the globe. Under this new agreement, VFS Global will continue to operate on behalf of the Government of Norway in all regions worldwide – Americas, Australasia, China & Hong Kong, Europe & CIS, Middle East & North Africa, Russia, Belarus & Armenia, and South Asia, including India. VFS Global has worked with the Government of Norway since 2014 and has successfully handled nearly 1.5 million applications on their behalf. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “We look forward to a continued smooth and professional cooperation with VFS Global on provision of visa and residence permit services. The cooperation we have developed has proven to be effective and fruitful, with both our organizations working well together in performing their respective responsibilities and tasks.” Chris Dix, Head of Business Development, VFS Global, said: “VFS Global is delighted that we will continue to serve the Government of Norway as their sole service provider. We have enjoyed a strong partnership and welcome the opportunity to renew our services in the existing locations where we operate. We look forward to offering best-in-class visa solutions, and a seamless application process across all regions globally with an annual estimated customer count of 220,000. This is the eighth global contract win this year and is a testament to our dedicated efforts to provide all our client governments with top quality services.”

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.”

VFS Global, which has been a trusted partner for the UK Government since 2003, has won the global contract for overseas UK visa and Citizenship services. This award is the latest in a long line of wins for the world’s leading visa, passport and citizen services provider. During 2024, VFS Global will deploy 240 Visa and Citizenship Application Service (VCAS) Centres for the UK in 142 countries across Africa & Middle East, Americas, Australasia & Europe, China & Taiwan, and Asia & Asia Pacific regions. These centres will accept all categories of visa applications as well as UK passport applications in some locations. Combined, these new centres are estimated to process 3.8 million applicants every year. Beyond the scale of the deployment, VFS Global will invest to improve the customer journey and increase accessibility – including through new customer websites, and through updated in-person experiences. And VFS Global will deploy its latest technologies to maintain robust identity checks and ensure the integrity of the visa and passport application process. The new contract is expected to deliver savings to the UK Government. Zubin Karkaria, Founder and CEO, VFS Global, said, “We are delighted to win this contract and expand our partnership with the Home Office to become their service provider for all UK visa customers overseas. We are excited to begin operations in new locations, and to take the next step towards providing customers with a seamless, simple and secure visa and passport application experience. This win is a testament to our dedicated efforts to provide all our client governments with best-in-class services.”

Destinations looking to harness the full potential of the growing Indian market could consider tailoring their value propositions in alignment with one or more of the 5 key points that influence where travellers choose to go, as per the latest McKinsey report on India market. They must determine factors such as the attractiveness of the destination, visas, connectivity, affordability, and the overall travel experience.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, says that the country will scrap entry visa requirements for citizens of India and China visiting the nation beginning from 1 December 2023 for up to 30 days. This decision comes with a view to boost the tourism and local economy.

India has resumed e-visa services for tourists of Canadian nationals after a pause of almost two months. The resumption of services for all categories of visas comes hours ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s participation in the virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit. Earlier in September, the Indian Mission in Canada suspended visa services for Canadian nationals until further notice, citing operational reasons.

Sharing his views on the resumption of e-tourist visa for Canadian nationals, Rajiv Mehra, President of IATO, says, “We are happy and pleased with this development as opening of visas for Canada which is one of the largest source market for India, will be a big booster shot for our inbound tourism. Hopefully, the tourist flow from Canada will begin by January. Also, we will urge the government to allow e-visa for Chinese visitors. While other visas are open for the Chinese travellers, the absence of e-visa is still an impediment for them. Hopefully, the government will consider this as well.”

VFS Global, the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions appointed Jose Manuel Aisa Mancho as its Chief Financial Officer effective 01 November 2023. He reports to Zubin Karkaria, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, and is based in Dubai, the organisation’s global headquarters. Jose joins VFS Global from Cellnex Telecom. He has over two decades of experience across the suite of finance sub-functions, including mergers & acquisitions, financial planning, investor relations, management control, treasury, and tax. He has previously worked in organisations that include Abertis Infrastructures, CriteriaCaixa and Cellnex. He was also a Non-Executive Officer in infrastructure companies such as Hispasat, Sanef or TBI Limited. Jose will be responsible for the overall Finance function at VFS Global, and will also be responsible for Legal, Data Privacy and Corporate Risk functions. Jose will leverage his rich experience in strengthening VFS Global’s finance function and developing strategies to support further growth and development of the company. As a member of the company’s Executive Board, he will also play a pivotal role in the overall strategic decision-making at VFS Global.