Demand high, plan visa application early: VFS Global senior executive

Doing so increases chances of timely decision on an application, says Yummi Talwar

Visa applicants must plan early and avoid mistakes like submitting incorrect information, says YUMMI TALWAR, the chief operating officer -- South Asia, VFS Global. The visa and consular services outsourcing technology company assists 67 governments. It has processed more than 287 million visa applications since 2001 and some 135 million biometric enrolments since 2007. Talwar, in an email interview with Namrata Kohli, spoke about what visa applicants must do.

What travelers should do when applying for visas?

Planning early for the visa process is vital. The pandemic has changed international travel trends significantly, making early planning essential. Travellers should apply for visas as soon as possible, as the high demand for travel affects the availability of visa appointments and the speed of visa decisions. Applying early also increases the chances of getting a timely decision. This is very important during the peak travel seasons, when embassies and consulates receive many applications.

What mistakes should visa applicants avoid?

Mistakes made by applicants often delay visa (application) experience, making it stressful and complicated. Frequent errors include incomplete or incorrect form completion, missing or insufficient supporting documents, and failure to check passport validity. These issues can affect the decision-making timeline, ultimately disrupting applicants' travel plans. Therefore, the first and most crucial step is early planning for visas. Early planning gives you adequate time to acquire relevant information regarding visa categories, documents required and the opportunity to book visa appointments well before the travel date to avoid last minute surprises.

What is VFS Global’s role in a visa application process?

In a nutshell, we handle almost the entire non-judgmental and administrative part of the process – from accepting the visa application to returning the passport to the visa applicant post the decision-making process by embassies or consulates. In between, we add a vast array of services to enhance the overall experience for the visa applicant and make the process efficient and secure for the governments. Our core functionality includes appointment booking, form checking, data entry, fee collection, biometric enrolment, forwarding documents to the concerned embassy / consulate, and courier passback of documents to the visa applicants. We do not play any role in the decision-making part of the process.

How can applicants track the status of their visa applications through VFS Global?

After submitting your application, you can receive information on its status through SMS or VFS Global's online tracking tool. The status will be updated once your passport is available for collection/delivery. Please keep in mind that VFS Global is not involved in the decision making of any application and cannot track an application while it is being reviewed at an embassy or consulate.