Category Archives: Visa

The Saudi Arabian government has reopened the visa-on-arrival program for holders of valid visas for the US, UK and Schengen area, effective immediately. The move comes two weeks after the country lifted all COVID-related entry restrictions and returns Saudi to pre-pandemic levels of openness. Citizens of any country who hold one of the three visas and who are travelling on one of the country’s national carriers – Saudi, Flynas or Flyadeal – can now receive a 12-month tourism visa on arrival in Saudi Arabia without needing to apply in advance. Visitors holding a valid US, UK or Schengen visa must have used it at least once to enter the issuing country or region in order to qualify for a visa on arrival in Saudi. Visitors will also need to purchase COVID-19 insurance, which they can do at any of Saudi Arabia’s international airports. Citizens of any country eligible for the e-visa program, which was introduced in 2019, may also receive a visa on arrival, regardless of the airline they are travelling with. “Restoring the visa-on-arrival program marks the final step in returning Saudi to a pre-pandemic level of openness and makes it one of the most accessible destinations in the world for leisure, business and religious travel,” said His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of STA. “This decision by the government will further support the many thousands of people who depend on tourism for their livelihoods while welcoming the world back to the destination with the warm hospitality for which the Saudi people are renowned.” On March 6, Saudi Arabia announced the lifting of all travel restrictions put in place …

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has partnered with VFS Global to provide efficient passport renewal services to a vast population of Sri Lankan nationals living in the Kingdom. Serving as an alternative platform, VFS Global passport renewal services allow customers to submit a passport renewal application and/or collect the renewed passport from 13 locations across the Kingdom. This service is in addition to the service currently offered by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Riyadh. The first VFS Global Sri Lanka Passport Application Centre was inaugurated on 06 February 2022 in Riyadh by H.E Mr. Pakeer Mohideen Amza, Ambassador of the Democratic Socialist of the Republic of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Mr. Sumanth Kapoor, Regional Head – KSA, Bahrain and Oman, VFS Global. The centres in Jeddah and Al Khobar were also made operational on the same day subsequently. The passport renewal services will further extend to 10 locations including, Al Jauf, Al Khobar, Al Qaseem, Hail, Jazan, Jubail, Madina, Makkah, Najaran, and Tabuk by 15 February 2022. During the inauguration ceremony, H.E Mr. Pakeer Mohideen Amza, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia said, “Through our partnership with VFS Global we extend our network to reach Sri Lankan nationals residing all across the country. Holders of Sri Lankan passports who find it difficult to visit the Mission personally, can now submit their renewal application conveniently to the nearest VFS Global passport renewal touchpoint instead of visiting the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh”. As part of the constant and ongoing endeavour to add value to customers’ experience, VFS Global offers optional services that make the process …

In alignment with the UAE Government’s decision to adopt a new working week schedule, and in accordance with the directives received from the client governments, VFS Global’s Visa Application Centres (VACs) in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have announced new operational hours for customers. The VACs operate from Monday to Thursday, 09.00 AM to 05.00 PM, except for public holidays and on Friday, 09.00 AM to 05.00 PM, with a prayer break between 01.00 PM and 02.30 PM. The centres will remain closed on Saturday and Sunday. VFS Global helpline for customers will also transition to the new working week schedule. The announcement reflects the organisation’s commitment to supporting its people and responding to changing working patterns. Atul Marwah, Head–Middle East & North Africa, VFS Global said, “Operational hours of our VACs in the UAE are revised as per the instructions received from the concerned Embassy/Consulate. We look forward to colleagues reaping the personal and professional rewards from the UAE government’s visionary and historical course of action. The future of work is changing at such a pace we have to evolve continually how we do things to meet the needs of our people and our customers.” Customers wanting to save travel time and seek greater convenience can opt for Visa At Your Doorstep service. This service gives customers the flexibility of submitting visa applications and enrolling biometrics from a location of choice, be it home, office or school campus. VFS Global staff ensures all applications are complete and ready for processing. The service is ideal for large groups travelling together, as all applications can be submitted on the same date and location. In addition to the VACs, VFS Global Philippine ePassport …

Interest in relocating to the Emirates has witnessed a pronounced uptick in 2021, as professionals from around the world look to take advantage of the UAE Government’s latest raft of innovative visa options. That’s the assessment of management and legal consultancy Swiss Group, whose clients have been keen to take advantage of increased visa flexibility, the local lifestyle, and the UAE’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic – with fewer restrictions and lower infection rates than the vast majority of global markets. Michael Lane, Managing Director of Swiss International Legal Consultants Ltd, UAE – a legal entity of Swiss Group – said: “We have definitely experienced stronger diversification of demand during the past 12 months, with numerous clients choosing to pursue the latest visa options as opposed to conventional avenues. “This trend has been especially noticeable among global entrepreneurs, many of whom have registered their interest in innovations such as the Green Visa and Remote Work Visa,” Lane continued. “We have also witnessed a significant number of enquiries relating to the Golden Visa and Retirement Visa, both of which were launched by the UAE Government in 2018.” In a bid to support individuals who are considering relocating to the UAE, and who wish to explore residency options, Swiss Group has released an up-to-date guide entitled: Decoding the UAE’s Visa Landscape Lane explained: “The UAE ranks in the top five best places to live and work globally, according to a recent HSBC study, so it’s hardly surprising that so many people are interested in relocating to the Emirates. However, with so many potential avenues available to the international market, it can sometimes be difficult to know which option is best suited to …

As Dubai continues to drive global travel recovery and growth, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) – Dubai in cooperation with Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has launched a Five-Year Multi-Entry Visa for employees of multinational companies, to further accelerate momentum across tourism and all other business sectors. HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai said: “The new Five-Year Multi-Entry Visa is the latest in a series of initiatives launched by Dubai to create new opportunities for professionals and talented individuals across the world to grow and thrive. The city has been steadily rising in status among the world’s biggest metropolises as a hub for travel, business, investment and talent, offering visitors an experience that is not only productive for work and business, but also enriching in terms of lifestyle and culture. Dubai seeks to dynamically adapt to evolving global conditions, embrace change and develop innovative initiatives to deliver future growth and offer new avenues for development and transformation, while remaining one of the world’s safest and most secure cities.” In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the best city in the world to live, work and visit, the Five-Year Multi-Entry Visa has been introduced to further simplify visa application procedures, provide ease-of-access to the city and extend the duration of stay of international visitors. The Five-Year Multi-Entry Visa is especially beneficial to employees of foreign-owned firms as it enables them to participate in events, conferences, training courses, exhibitions and …

The Al Kharj Chamber of Commerce has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with VFS Global for the latter to provide visa services for its members on its premises. Leveraging its doorstep visa service, VFS Global will visit the Chamber’s headquarters in Al Kharj upon request to provide end-to-end visa services to members, bringing the process to them so they do not have to visit a Visa Application Centre. VFS Global’s range of optional services such as form filling assistance, travel insurance, document scanning and uploading (for UK visa applications), among others, will also be available to members. “This partnership with VFS Global is an accelerant to positioning Al Kharj as an epicentre for trade, industry and businesses by bringing visa services closer and at further convenience to our members. We look forward to working closely with VFS Global in the coming months,” said Mr. Amash bin Al-Dafin, President, Al Kharj Chamber of Commerce. Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group Chief Operating Officer – South Asia, Middle East & North Africa and Americas, VFS Global said, “Al Kharj is the fourth Chamber of Commerce VFS Global has partnered with in the past one year, and we are proud to be supporting the Kingdom’s 2030 vision through our services. We are excited about this new association and look forward to providing the Chamber members our best-in-class services.” VFS Global provides visa services for 30 countries for the citizens and residents of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 2005 through a network of 85 Visa Application Centres.

In a bid to ease the ePassport renewal process for Philippines nationals living overseas, The Republic of Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs and VFS Global has signed a contract recently to provide ePassport Renewal services in Cyprus, Ethiopia, France, Ireland, Kuwait, Singapore, the UK, the USA and Vietnam.  The launch of the VFS Global ePassport Renewal Centres in Dubai, UAE, in November 2019 marked the first time The Republic of Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs had outsourced its ePassport renewal process for its nationals living abroad. Following the success of the operations in this pilot location which operates for 12 hours every day, VFS Global successfully expanded services to one more city in the UAE and three cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2020, amidst the pandemic.   Mr Chris Dix, Head of Business Development, VFS Global, said, “We would like to thank The Republic of the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs for their continued faith in us as a leading passport and consular service provider. I am happy to share that our Passport and Consular services have been growing from strength to strength as we offer a world-class service experience to ease the ePassport renewal process for Philippine nationals residing in Cyprus, Ethiopia, France, Ireland, Kuwait, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, the UK, the UAE, the USA and Vietnam. We look forward to many more years of fruitful cooperation to ensure Philippine nationals across the world benefit from a first-class ePassport renewal service by expanding this service to more locations.” Key benefits of the Philippine ePassport Renewal Centre: Improved passport and consular services to Philippine nationals living overseas Strict verifiable processes to ensure accuracy of biometric data collection Flexible …

Egypt has added 28 new countries to its list of nationalities able to obtain a tourism visa electronically as part of the country’s efforts to drive more visitors to the country. The country now permits 74 nationalities to obtain tourism e-visas. Ghada Shalaby, Vice Minister for Tourism and Antiquities for Tourism Affairs, said that the latest update will contribute to encouraging many tourists of different nationalities to visit Egypt. She explains that the online e-visa portal supports 8 languages. The portal also answers many tourist inquiries and features secure electronic payment. An Egyptian tourist e-visa costs US$25 for one entry or US$60 for multiple entries. The visa is issued in a maximum of 7 days. The Vice Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Tourism Affairs said that the new additions to the list are expected to have a positive impact on increasing tourist numbers in Egypt.

VFS Global has announced that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with the Jazan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to provide end-to-end visa and passport concierge services. Moving forward, the Chamber’s members will benefit from the availability of these services on its premises, providing ease, convenience and ensuring they do not have to visit a Visa Application Centre. Ahmad M. Abo Hadi, Chairman of Jazan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mohammed Shahid Alam, Consul General of India in Jeddah inaugurated the office on 8 June 2021 in the presence of Mr Sumanth Kapoor, Regional Head – KSA, Bahrain and Oman, VFS Global. During the inauguration ceremony, Ahmad M. Abo Hadi, Chairman of Jazan Chamber of Commerce and Industry said, “We are happy that we can rely on VFS Global to ensure our members receive safe and secure passport and visa services they need all within the premises.” “The opening of VFS Global concierge at Jazan Chamber of Commerce is a momentous step and would go a long way in delivering fast and efficient consular services at the doorsteps of our India nationals especially during the period of pandemic. “said Mohammed Shahid Alam, Consul General of India. “This announcement represents our latest contribution towards the Kingdom’s sustainability agenda, and the presence of VFS Global’s concierge service in the Jazan Chamber will enable its members to further concentrate their efforts towards economic and social development contributions. We are delighted to be working alongside the Chambers and look forward to assisting its members with the services we provide,” added Sumanth Kapoor, Regional Head – KSA & Bahrain, VFS Global.

To provide efficient passport renewal services to a vast population of Filipino nationals living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), The Republic of the Philippines has extended their collaboration with VFS Global for five years by signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on 7 May 2021 in an official ceremony that was held in Manila, Philippines. KSA is one of the countries in the Middle East with the highest concentration of Filipino workers. To enhance customer experience and provide greater accessibility to customers in the KSA, the DFA outsourced the administrative and non-discretionary task of the passport renewal process to VFS Global in 2019. Subsequently, three Philippine ePassport Renewal Centres were launched in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar in October 2020. Prior to the launch of ePassport Renewal Centres, Philippine residents in the Kingdom had to visit the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh or the Consulate in Jeddah for passport renewal. Customers now have an additional avenue to complete the process. In addition to the Centres in KSA, VFS Global also operates two ePassport Renewal Centres located in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, which are also part of MoA extension. Upon signing the agreement, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Brigido J. Dulay said, “Partnering with an established outsourcing champion like VFS Global enabled the DFA to multiply its presence in the Middle East at zero cost to the Philippine government. With the renewal, we can now look at widening and implementing similar service centres in other countries.” Attending the virtual signing ceremony, Chris Dix, Head of Business Development, VFS Global, quoted, “On behalf of VFS Global, I would like to thank the Department …