Following the rules and regulations and other norms and relaxations set by specific embassies and state governments, Visa Facilitation Services (VFS) Global is all set to begin visa application processing for select countries across certain Indian cities.
VFS Global, the visa outsourcing and technology specialist, is resuming its operations for some of its visa application centres in several cities like Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Chandigarh, Kolkata and Jalandhar. Visa applications will be accepted from the UK, Italy, Denmark, Ireland, Norway, UAE, Portugal, South Korea, Belarus, Turkey and the Dominican Republic.
The visa application centres that are reopening during the pandemic would follow social distancing and other safety measures like sanitisation and disinfection of the centres. However, applicants can also opt for visa-at-your-doorstep services to avoid visiting public places.
Here are some of the FAQs related to the new visa application process answered by the VFS Global authorities:
Q. Will the visa application centres be open for appointments once the lockdown lifts?
A: The visa application centres will open only after the approval for reopening from the concerned local embassy/consulate.
Q. Is the medical history to be submitted for the new visa application process?
A: Though VFS Global does not insist on the submission of the medical report, it may be required to submit the recent medical report as a part of the visa application process. This may or may not be related to COVID-19.
Q. What would happen if the passports submitted before the services were suspended?
A: The stage of each visa application would be assessed and the passport return process would be resumed as per the norms.
Q. Will I be able to travel with a work or residency permit?
A: If you’re a work or residency permit holder, your travel would depend on the travel restrictions set by a particular country. The same applies to fresh applications too. Some countries have set restrictions and other safety measures which do not allow non-essential travellers to submit visa applications.
