Simplify the cross-mobility
VFS is the world’s largest visa outsourcing and technology services specialists for governments and diplomatic missions, with 3300 application centres and operations in 149 countries across five continents. Mr. Prabuddha Sen, COO, South Asia, VFS Global shares his views with TravelJingles.
VFS has its presence in five continents already. Tell us about the expansion plans of the group for 2024?
In 2023, VFS Global signed a total of eight global contracts. We would like to highlight a few key ones here-
The Swedish Ministry of Justice has awarded VFS Global a global tender to provide visa services in 37 countries worldwide. Under this new agreement, VFS Global will continue to operate on behalf of the Government of Sweden in eight regions worldwide – South Asia, the Americas, Southeast Asia, China, the Middle East & North Africa, Africa, Europe, and Russia. Second, The Department of Home Affairs, Australia, has awarded the global biometric collection service across seven regions to VFS Global. The agreement spanning Australian biometric collection centres (ABCC) at 165 locations worldwide include new geographies in addition to existing locations operated by VFS Global. Third, VFS Global becomes the service provider for all UK Visa and Citizenship Application Centres overseas – operating across 142 countries. Estimated to manage 3.8million applicants every year, VFS Global is now opening UK application centres in 84 new countries during 2024. In India, we will open temporary centres in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities to expand. Fourth, 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.
We plan to expand our centres based on the specific needs of our client governments.
VFS has launched a Sign Language contact centre as part of the journey of providing equal opportunities in India. Comment.
In India, VFS Global launched its first sign language contact centre on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities for people of determination. VFS Global hopes to overcome the communication gap for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community with this effort, allowing them to obtain visa service information faster and independently.
VFS Global’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion programme, part of its Sustainability Strategy, aims to ensure equal access to services for all customers. The sign language contact centre provides information for visa services to various countries that includes Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark and many more, as a part of the first phase of this project’s implementation.
Which is your favourite international travel destination?
Prague in the Czech Republic.