Guwahati opens Northeast India’s first VFS Global visa centre

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated the first VFS Global Visa Application Centre in Guwahati, marking the first such facility in Northeast India. The centre is designed to provide local residents with easier access to international travel services, reducing the necessity to travel to distant cities for visa processing.

The facility will initially facilitate applications for 14 countries: Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Malta, Morocco, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Additionally, applicants can use the centre to apply for Schengen visas, providing access to 29 European nations. While VFS Global manages the application and submission process, final decisions regarding visa approvals remain the sole authority of the respective governments and diplomatic missions.

In a related development, the Chief Minister announced that Guwahati Airport is set to become a hub-and-spoke facility for international travellers starting October 27. This change, following a declaration by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, will allow eligible passengers to complete immigration formalities in Guwahati before proceeding to overseas destinations.