Guwahati: VFS Global has opened a new Visa Application Centre in Guwahati to improve access to visa services for people across Northeast India.
The centre was jointly inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Tourism Minister Ajanta Neog, Transport Minister Charan Boro and VFS Global South Asia Chief Operating Officer Yummi Talwar.
Representatives of the diplomatic missions of Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Italy and France attended the ceremony.
The centre will process visa applications for 14 countries: Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Malta (D-Visa applications), Morocco, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
This is VFS Global’s first Visa Application Centre in Assam. It will serve applicants from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.
Located in Guwahati, the centre aims to make visa services more accessible to people in the region who travel abroad for tourism, education, business and other purposes. Its location at the commercial gateway to the Northeast also offers access through air, rail and road networks.
Yummi Talwar, Chief Operating Officer for South Asia at VFS Global, said the new centre would improve access to visa services for applicants across Assam and the wider Northeast.
“With growing aspirations around education, business, tourism and global mobility, reliable access to visa services is central to turning ambition into opportunity. We are grateful to the Government of Assam and our partner missions for their confidence in us. Through secure, technology-led processes and a commitment to service excellence, we will continue to offer an efficient and convenient visa application experience and make international travel simpler for every applicant we serve,” she said.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the centre would help strengthen connections, create opportunities for young people, support businesses and attract visitors to the state.
He said the facility represented progress towards a more connected and accessible Northeast. Sarma congratulated VFS Global and those involved in the initiative, expressing confidence that the centre would benefit people across Assam and the wider region.
The Visa Application Centre is located at the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) in Khanapara, Guwahati, and can be reached by public and private transport.
The opening adds to VFS Global’s network of visa application centres across India as the company marks its 25th anniversary.