Now, get visa for UK and other European countries from home

NEW DELHI: You can now get visas for European countries without leaving your home. VFS Global, the agency to whom several countries have outsourced visa issuance, can now send the equipment for collecting biometric information along with a visa submission officer to your home for a fee.

The "on-demand mobile visa" service has been started all over India for UK visas. Some Schengen countries like Hungary and Denmark have also given the go-ahead to VFS for the facility and this may start at a later date.

"High net worth individuals, large groups and those going for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) have long been asking for a hassle-free experience where all the processes can be completed at a place of their choice, like their home or office," VFS Global COO (south Asia) Vinay Malhotra told TOI.

"In the initial phase, our average cost for this service (which is in addition to the regular visa fees) is £750 (about Rs 70,500 at the current exchange rate) for a group of 10 visitors. Any incremental visitor will be charged an average of £75 (Rs 7,050) additionally," he added.

He said the firm could provide the visa-on-demand service for individuals too but the price structure for the same is yet to be worked out.

"VFS has visa centres in 16 Indian cities. This facility will be very beneficial for those who live in towns that do not have a centre and who have to go to the city nearest to them which has the same, a process that takes one full day," Malhotra said.