Category Archives: Visa

Monika Palatková, Managing Director, Czech Tourism, has announced a partnership with VFS Global in order to enter the GCC market. She says, “We have been working closely with VFS Global in India since the end of 2016 and it has proven to be successful in establishing the Czech Republic as a tourist destination in India. I am pleased to announce the expansion of our cooperation into another strategic region, the Middle East. Today, we have entered into a contractual partnership, based on which VFS Global will implement several promotional activities focused on the leisure and MICE segments in the Middle East.” She added, “Prague, the beautiful capital city of the Czech Republic, is extremely popular with tourists but there is so much more this wonderful country has to offer the discerning Indian travellers. The central promotional theme of Czech Tourism in 2017 has been Baroque. The year 2018 will be a period of celebration for the Czech Republic because it marks 100 years from the establishment of the independent country; the main focus will be monuments, places and traditions related to this period.”

A new Chinese Visa Application Center in the Middle East was inaugurated at Wafi mall in Dubai under the patronage of the Consul General of the people’s republic of China Her Excellency Li Lingbing. Among those present during the inaugration were: Chen Xiongfeng, Deputy Director General, Department of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of foreign affairs China; Wei Xiaodong, Deputy Director General, Department of services for the foreign ministry home and overseas offices; Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China; Mona Hassan Al Khumairi, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Dubai; Zubin Karkaria, Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global Group and  Vinay Malhotra, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East & South Asia, VFS Global. In her address, Li Lingbing, Consul General of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai, said, “The new Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Dubai will ensure visa applicants enjoy a service with higher quality, faster processing, and more convenience. The opening of this centre will be another boost for further uplift our people-to-people exchange, cultural communication and practical cooperation between China and the UAE.” Zubin Karkaria, Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global Group, said, “It is a privilege to launch the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Dubai in partnership with the Government of the People’s Republic of China. With the advancement of trade and tourism ties between the UAE and P.R. China, we are confident this new center will be effective in meeting the rising demand of China visas for UAE travellers. For greater convenience to applicants, the new center will provide services during longer operating hours and offer applicants the option of Premium Lounge services …

Azerbaijan has simplified its visa process by granting it online for citizens of 93 countries. Travellers will now be able to obtain visas to Azerbaijan within three hours, be it a weekend or a holiday. “This resolution will increase the tourists flow to the country not only for the beautiful autumn season but also for the rest of the year.” Rashid AL Noori, Chairman, Representative Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan in GCC Chairman said. He noted that the influx of tourists to Azerbaijan increased by 15 -20 percent this summer, compared to the same period of last year. Arab tourists take the first position among tourists visiting Azerbaijan, followed by travelers from Russia. In July only, 330,000 people visited the country, and we anticipate that the figure will go up significantly, considering we have direct flights from Kuwait, Qatar and Dubai and we expect to inaugurate direct flights from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to Baku soon.” The decision comes as a positive gift to the visitors in GCC who love the country for its proximity and wish to visit more often on different purposes beyond its exquisite nature and Culture.

In an aim to encourage more and more international tourists to visit the country, the Sultanate of Oman has made the visa application process easier by launching eVisa service. Tourists planning to visit Oman can now apply online for visas at https://evisa.rop.gov.om/. They would only need to fill up a form online, attach the necessary documents and then pay the application fee by a credit card, through a Global Payment Gateway that is officially certified by Oman. The applicants would then be notified about the developments on their application through emails. The first stage comprises non-sponsored tourist visas for people from 67 countries and GCC residents employed in 116 professions. The eVisa system will allow Oman to receive more tourists from key markets such as China, Russia and the US, and drive the demand for experiential travel to the Sultanate. “The Sultanate’s announcement of the eVisa system will ensure continuous growth of Oman’s tourism sector in the coming years as this provides not only tourists but also investors, businessmen, researchers and students easier access to visa processing,” said Salim Adi Al Mamari, Director General of Tourism Promotion, Ministry of Tourism, Oman.

After its successful attempt at integrating the Visa Checkout facility with its tajawal.ae domain in January 2017, the Dubai-based travel-booking website has further collaborated with Visa to provide Visa Checkout to its customers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. tajawal is now rolling out the service across multiple markets to provide its users in the region with the most convenient booking process possible. Visa Checkout offers cardholders a simple and secure digital payment method that allows for registered users to complete their purchase at the click of a button. By logging into their Visa Checkout account, payment and billing information are automatically populated, eliminating the step to manually enter the information with every purchase. Ahmed Gaber, Visa’s General Manager for Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, said, “Innovations like Visa Checkout help to remove friction from the e-commerce payment process, bringing significant benefits to both the customer and the merchant. With Visa Checkout integrated into its systems, tajawal can now offer its customers an online payment experience that is as easy, convenient, and seamless as swiping a Visa card in a traditional retail setting.” To promote Visa Checkout as a payment option on tajawal.sa, a special offer has been introduced on all flight and hotel bookings that can be availed by registered users who choose to pay with Visa Checkout on tajawal.sa until August 18, 2017.

The Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in Abu Dhabi launched a new Visa Application Centre in Abu Dhabi enhance accessibility and greater convenience to residents of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who plan to travel to The Netherlands. Applicants can visit the centre in Abu Dhabi, managed by VFS Global, to submit visa applications and enroll for biometrics in a comfortable and efficient environment. The new center, formally inaugurated by H.E. Frank J. M. Mollen, Ambassador of the Kingdom of The Netherlands to the United Arab Emirates, offers applicants streamlined and quicker visa application services managed by the center’s well-trained and specialised staff. Abu Dhabi is the second city in the UAE, after Dubai, from where applicants can apply for a visa to The Netherlands. The center is centrally located at Level 25, Shining Tower, Mubarak Bin Mohammed Street, Adjacent to Khalidiyah Mall, Abu Dhabi. VFS Global serves a total of 22 client governments in Abu Dhabi, and has operated visa processing services in the city since 2004.

Gulf Air, the Kingdom of Bahrain’s national carrier, partnered with VFS Global, the largest visa service provider in the world, to facilitate visa issuance for passengers flying to the Kingdom of Bahrain. The online visa facility will launch this summer on gulfair.com. Signing the agreement with VFS Global, Gulf Air Chief Commercial Officer, Ahmed Janahi, said: “We are partnering with VFS Global to provide a much needed service to Gulf Air passengers that will support our national carrier’s longstanding efforts to promote the Kingdom as a destination to a broad spectrum of travellers while making the process of obtaining a visa to Bahrain easier and more convenient. Soon, Gulf Air passengers will be able to easily obtain short term visit visas to Bahrain via our website gulfair.com – allowing them to come to Bahrain and experience all that our Kingdom has to offer in terms of tourism, business opportunities and more.” Said Zubin Karkaria, Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global Group, “Integrating next-generation convenience into the traditional visa process lies at the heart of our services. We are pleased to synergise our efforts with Gulf Air and the Government of Bahrain to ensure greater flexibility and digital-friendly services for visitors to Bahrain, while maintaining the security requirements of the visa process. We believe the online e-visa platform will make visa application much more convenient for Gulf Air customers, providing them with greater speed and transparency in the process, thereby enhancing their overall experience.” Added Vinay Malhotra, Chief Operating Officer – Middle East & South Asia, VFS Global, “Applying for an eVisa through our dedicated online platform, designed exclusively for Gulf Air passengers, will transform the visa application experience for passengers, offering …

The Embassy of South Africa launched a South Africa Visa Application Centre in Dubai. Services at the centre commenced on February 1, 2017, but the centre was officially inaugurated by H.E. MK Lekgoro, Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to the United Arab Emirates, at a ceremony held on February 28, 2017. The centre is situated at WAFI Mall, Level 2, Falcon Phase 2, Umm Hurair 2, Dubai. With South Africa being a popular travel destination for business and leisure travellers the world over, the streamlined and professional services offered at new centre aims at providing residents of the UAE elevated levels of customer service when applying for their visas. Well-trained staff with local language capabilities deliver personalised attention to applicants for a smoother and more convenient application experience. Speaking at the inauguration, H.E. MK Lekgoro, Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to the United Arab Emirates, said, “It is with great pleasure that I formally inaugurate the South African Visa Application Centre in Dubai, which finally formalises our long standing relationship. This will add to the streamlining of much valued services to the public who we are sure will receive the best services in a professional manner.” Vinay Malhotra, COO – Middle East & South Asia, VFS Global, added, “We at VFS Global are committed to providing world-class visa application services on behalf of our esteemed client government, the Government of South Africa, to the residents of the UAE. We are confident that the newly launched centre in Dubai will add to the overall experience of travelling to the vibrant country of South Africa and are privileged to be a part of this new initiative.”

Residents of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) can now enroll for biometrics and submit their applications for visas to Denmark at the visa application centres, managed by VFS Global, launched by the Royal Danish Consulate General in Dubai and the Royal Danish Embassy in Abu Dhabi. The centre in Dubai was inaugurated by H.E. Mrs. Merete Juhl, Ambassador of Denmark to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar at a ceremony held on February 15, 2017. The centre is located at WAFI Mall, Level 2, Falcon Phase 2, Umm Hurrair 2, Dubai. The centre in Abu Dhabi is located at Level 25, Shining Tower, Mubarak Bin Mohammed Street, adjacent to Khalidiyah Mall, Abu Dhabi. Services in both cities commenced on 15 January 2017. Speaking at the inauguration, Her Excellency Merete Juhl Ambassador of Denmark to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, said, “It is my great pleasure to inaugurate the new Visa Application Centres in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. VFS Global has been carefully chosen to manage the Denmark Visa Application Centres based on their recognised efficiency and professional approach. It is of utmost importance to Denmark that visa processing is handled in a top professional manner.” Vinay Malhotra, COO – Middle East & South Asia, VFS Global, said, “In our continued commitment to expanding our extensive global network of Denmark Visa Application Centres, we are privileged to bring streamlined and proficient visa application services to residents of the UAE travelling to Denmark. We are confident that the newly launched centres in Abu Dhabi and Dubai will deliver world-class services for an enhanced visa application experience to our applicants. We are honoured to be a part of the advancement of travel, …

Bahrain is the latest country to be added to Belarus’ list of countries exempted from visa requirements to enter its territories. On January 9, the President of Belarus signed a Decree “On establishing a visa-free order of entrance and departure of foreign citizens”. Under the decree, Bahraini nationals, and nationals from the list of exempted countries, can enter the country for a period of five days and via the international Minsk airport. Visitors to Belarus should also carry documents such as valid passports or any other acceptable travel documents, a minimum sum of money equal to €25($26.6) per day (€125/$133.4 for five days), and at least €10,000 ($10,675.6) health insurance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Also excluded from the advantages of visa exemption are travelers on official business and travelers with diplomatic or special passports or its equivalent. The visa exemption procedures do not apply to flights departing or coming from Russia through the international Minsk airport. Considered domestic flights by the Government of Belarus, these trips are not subject to audit procedures across the Belarusian border, the Ministry added.