Indian High Commission outsource visa service to VFS Global
posted in Outsourcing News and Top Outsourcing deals |Source: www.indiainfoline.com
The opening of customer friendly and easily accessible VFS Global visa, passport and OCI application centres (V&PSC) in Australia, will ensure efficient visa, passport and OCI services.
To improve the service delivery of the visa, passport and OCI application processes, the High Commission and the Consulate Generals of India have decided to outsource these services in Australia to VFS Global Services, the specialist visa facilitation partner for diplomatic missions worldwide and part of the Zurich based Kuoni Travel Group. VFS Global is the first Indian company to be awarded the contract for Consular Outsourcing Service by the Indian High Commission in Australia.
The opening of customer friendly and easily accessible VFS Global visa, passport and OCI application centres (V&PSC) in Australia, will ensure efficient visa, passport and OCI services. The Centres will also offer prompt and efficient responses to all queries including telephone and e-mail queries relating to these services. In addition, the Centres would accept fees in cash, drafts / money orders, and also through credit card / debit card starting from May 2008. The VFS Global centres in Australia will also be open without break for longer consular hours – from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM – on all working days.
Applications for Indian visas and passport services can be submitted at the VFS Global Visa & Passport Services Centres (V&PSC) in the below stated cities: -
| City | Date of Opening |
|---|---|
| Canberra | 30 January 2008 |
| Sydney | 21 February 2008 |
| Melbourne | 04 March 2008 |
| Brisbane | 14 March 2008 |
| Perth | 28 March 2008 |
| Adelaide | 18 April 2008 |
Currently the visa application procedures for India in Australia are as follows:
1) Passport and OCI applications in respect of the areas covered by Consulate General of India in Melbourne, i.e., Victoria and Tasmania, will continue to be received by the High Commission of India, Canberra till the opening of V&PSC in Melbourne.
2) Passport, Visa and OCI applications in respect of South Australia will continue to be received by the Consulate General of India in Sydney until 20 February, 2008. From 21 February, 2008, applications from South Australia will have to be forwarded to the V&PSC Centre in Sydney, until the opening of a separate V&PSC Centre in Adelaide on 18 April, 2008. Thereafter, applications from South Australia will be dealt with by the V&PSC Centre in Adelaide.
The V&PSCs would accept applications for the following services: Issue of visa for travel to India (except for Diplomatic and Official passports); Issue of passports; and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) Cards.
Application forms can be collected from the V&PSCs and also downloaded from the High Commission and Consulates General websites.
A service charge of A$ 16.36 plus GST per applicant will apply in addition to regular fees. Details of fees for various services can be seen on the websites of VFS and the High Commission/ Consulates General.
In case the applicant wishes the Passport to be sent through courier/express post etc., separate postal charges will be required to be paid. Once the V&PSCs are operational, the High Commission of India in Canberra, Consulates General of India in Sydney and Melbourne, and Honorary Consulates of India in Perth and Brisbane, will not accept applications for issue of visas (except for diplomatic & official passports), passports and OCI Cards.
Applications received after opening of V&PSCs will be processed subject to additional service charge being paid by the applicant.
The High Commission and the Consulates General in Sydney & Melbourne will, however, continue to receive applications for other Consular Services as follows:
· Consular Attestations
· Miscellaneous Consular Services like Police Clearance Certificate, Birth Certificates, Life Certificates etc.
In case of requirement of urgent travel to India on extreme compassionate grounds (death in the family), the High Commission or the Consulates General may be approached directly. Additional charges are applicable for processing such applications outside office hours. The Honorary Consulates in Perth and Brisbane would continue to accept applications for attestation of documents and Life Certificate.
