Category Archives: Visa

With borders slowly reopening for Indians, student visa applications for various countries are at a record high. With this higher demand for visa application appointments, VFS Global has continually faced the issue of scammers posing as employees or associates of the organisation and embezzling customers. Misusing VFS Global’s trusted name in the visa space, such scammers lure aspirants with the false promise of overseas settlement. An all-too-frequent modus operandi involves a scammer using new software and other technology to clone VFS Global’s web page and mask their phone numbers, so it appears that the call has indeed come from an official VFS Global line. The victim is then asked to verify the number on the official website, leading him/her to further believe the caller. “We understand anxieties engulfing students and parents with the reopening of international borders. With high demand for student visas, it is also important for our customers to be wary of miscreants looking to take advantage of this peak demand period. VFS Global urges prospective students to beware of such malpractices. VFS Global is taking all necessary and proactive measures to accommodate students visas as per directives from the respective Embassy or Consulate,” said Pranav Sinha, Head – South Asia, VFS Global. Touts could also reach out to customers via chat apps, offering simple assistance such as booking an appointment slot to apply for a visa at a VFS Global centre at an additional fee. VFS Global does not charge customers for appointments to submit applications. All appointments are available online on a first-come-first-served basis completely free of cost. No VFS Global employee or third party can assure an appointment based on payment. With the increasing number …

VFS Global has informed that it has started accepting applications for The Netherlands Visa for select visa categories in India with safety measures in place. At present, visa applications are only accepted in cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Hyderabad. For more details on visa categories, operational days and safety norms, visit, www.visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/nld

VFS in India has started accepting visa applications for Croatia for categories including tourist, student, work permit and immediate family member. Applicants should have Negetive RT-PCR test report not older than 48 hours at the movement of entry in Croatia and they should be in self-isolation for 14 days. The cost of RT-PCR test should be brone by the travellers.

Members at a recent educational seminar conducted by Indiatourism Mumbai that was attended by more than 50 participants, requested to re-open e-visas for foreign tourists. NS Rathor, Chairman (Western Region), IATO, says, “Since international travellers start planning six months in advance, this would be the tight time to open up e-visas which would allow them to plan for the upcoming tourist season. It is important that our next steps are planned so that inbound tourism can open up smoothly and safely.”

The General Authority of Civil Aviation, UAE has suspended all inbound passenger movement to the UAE from India until July 6, 2021. This excludes UAE nationals. Passengers are advised to reschedule their tickets for travel at a future date. Dubai’s Emirates had earlier said that passenger flights from India would remain suspended at least until June 30. The suspension of incoming passenger traffic from India to the UAE began on April 24. It was extended on May 4 by the UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) in light of a deadly second wave of Covid-19 currently affecting India.

Indian nationals in transit through a French airport on their way to another country will require an airport transit visa (ATV). The categories exempt from the ATV include families of EU or Swiss nationals; Indian official passport holders; Schengen visa holders; and holders of permanent residence permits from EU countries, the UK, Japan, Canada and USA.

Under the current Presidential Proclamation, student visa holders from India are able to enter the United States if their classes start on or after August 1, 2021. The United States, however, will not approve exceptions for F visa holders with a programme start date before August 1, 2021. Students with valid F-1 and M-1 visas intending to begin or continue an academic programme commencing August 1 this year or later do not need to contact an embassy or consulate to seek an individual National Interest Exception to travel.

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.