Itinerary ready and bags packed, Indians seeking visas top pre-Covid numbers
Visa applications in India from January to June have exceeded pre-pandemic levels, including a 2% rise from H1 2019 and 11% over the first half of 2023. Demand for personalized services like 'visa at your doorstep' has surged fourfold since 2019. ...
By ET Bureau | Updated:
AP
Visa volume up 2% in H1, demand for personalised services surges: VFS Global
Visa applications in India during the January-June period exceeded the pre-pandemic first-half levels for the first time this year, VFS Global said on Monday.
Applications exceeded the H1 2019 volume by 2%, the company that manages visa applications for 52 countries from India said, citing the number of applications it processed. Compared with the first half of 2023, the number rose 11%. Personalised services such as visa at your doorstep (VAYD) posted a fourfold increase from 2019 and 16% from the first half of last year.
"Outbound travel demand from India has remained robust and it was a matter of time that pre-pandemic levels were restored. India has been witnessing an extended travel season over the past two years and we are confident the momentum would last till the year-end," said Yummi Talwar, chief operating officer (South Asia) at VFS Global.
Talwar emphasised the importance of applicants being cautious of counterfeit websites and fraudulent social media pages that offer appointments in exchange of money.
"Appointments are free and are exclusively available through www.vfsglobal.com on a first-come, first-served basis," she said.
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Popular destinations for outbound applications from India include Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the US and the UK. The preference for tailored services persisted as a predominant trend in visa application behaviours, as VFS Global noted a significant increase in the demand for services such as VAYD, she said.
This optional service allows applicants to manage the full visa application submission, including biometric enrolment, from their homes or any preferred location. In India, VFS Global provides its VAYD services for 16 nations: Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Switzerland and the UK.
"The preference for personalised services like VAYD has increased among travellers post-pandemic due to health reasons," Talwar said.
