The new VFS Global facility will cater to visa applicants from all eight northeastern states and process applications for 14 countries, reducing the need for travellers to visit metro cities for documentation and submission.
Guwahati, Assam : Guwahati has become home to the Northeast’s first Visa Application Centre (VAC) operated by VFS Global, a development expected to make international travel services more accessible to residents across the region.
The centre, located at ISBT in Khanapara, was officially inaugurated on Wednesday in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Tourism Minister Ajanta Neog, Transport Minister Jogen Mohan’s cabinet colleague Charan Boro, and senior representatives of VFS Global.
Spread across a 3,200-square-foot facility, the centre will provide visa application services to people from all eight northeastern states, including Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
Officials said the centre will handle visa submissions for 14 countries, among them Austria, France, Italy, Japan, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It will also facilitate applications for Schengen visas, allowing eligible travellers to seek entry to multiple European destinations through a single visa process.
Addressing the gathering, Sarma said the facility would significantly ease the burden on applicants from the Northeast, many of whom previously had to travel to cities such as Kolkata and New Delhi to complete visa-related formalities. The new centre, he noted, is expected to save both time and travel expenses for residents seeking overseas opportunities in education, tourism, business and employment.
Clarifying the role of the facility, the chief minister said VFS Global would act solely as a service provider responsible for receiving and processing applications, while decisions on visa issuance would continue to rest with the respective embassies, consulates and foreign governments.
VFS Global Chief Operating Officer for South Asia, Yummi Talwar, said the launch reflects rising international aspirations among people in the Northeast. According to him, increasing demand for overseas travel, higher studies, professional opportunities and tourism has created the need for easier access to visa services within the region.
He added that Guwahati was selected as the location for the centre due to its strong connectivity and its position as the principal gateway to the Northeast, making it a convenient hub for applicants across neighbouring states.
Headquartered in Zurich and Dubai, VFS Global is marking 25 years of operations this year. The company provides visa and consular support services for dozens of governments worldwide and maintains an extensive network of visa application centres across India and other countries.
The opening of the Guwahati facility is expected to strengthen the region’s connectivity with global destinations and simplify the visa application process for thousands of travellers from the Northeast.
