In a bid to streamline visa services to foreigners, the Indian embassy in Thailand today said it will start using biometrics for applicants from October.
India's Ambassador to Thailand Anil Wadhwa inaugurated a new visa and passport application centre that will be managed by India-based company IVS Global Services Pvt Ltd.
The Indian embassy had issued more than 88,000 visas in 2012, a steep increase over previous years, Wadhwa said.
The biometrics would be done by the embassy in collaboration with the IVS, the envoy said.
Several Indian missions have started biometric procedure for visa applicants.
Visa and passport application processing has been outsourced to private companies by Indian missions in several countries though the decision to grant visa and passport lies with the embassy.
Wadhwa said the main tourist destination for Thais was Bodh Gaya.
He said efforts were on to encourage Thai tourists to visit areas of Buddhism in other states like Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
The embassy issues gratis visa to Thai monks visiting India.
Currently there are around 150 flights operating between India and Thailand every week.
Venku Murthi, CEO of IVS, said her company was a specialised outsourcing partner to diplomatic missions worldwide.
