· Restoration of travellers’ confidence and easing of travel restrictions major catalysts.
· Acceptance of personalised services such as Visa At Your Doorstep (VAYD) see over three-fold rise against 2019
· Popular destinations for Indian travellers include Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, UK, and US (in alphabetical order).
· Travel momentum to sustain in 2024 as well; applicants advised to apply for their visas in advance to avoid last-minute rush.
Visa application volumes from New Delhi continued to stay strong in 2023 and closed in further to the pre-pandemic levels with restoration of travellers’ confidence to explore global destinations and easing of travel restrictions.According to VFS Global, the visa application volumefrom New Delhi registered a 10% year-on-year growth in 2023.When compared to the pre-pandemic numbers, visa application volumes from New Delhi reached 82% of the 2019 levels.
This trend of rise in visa application volume from New Delhi is in line with the overall growth trend registered in India, which saw a 16% year-on-year growth in 2023. When compared to the pre-pandemic numbers, visa application volumes from India reached 93% of the 2019 levels.
Vishal Jairath, Head – South Asia, VFS Global, said, “We continued to witness unprecedented demand from India and the entire South Asia region in 2023 which led to an extended peak outbound travel season with steady visa application volumes witnessed until December. We are confident that this positive travel momentum will sustain in 2024 as well. Thus, applicants who are planning to travel overseas from India are advised to apply for their visas well in advance to avoid the last-minute rush.”
A few of the popular destinations preferred by travellers from India in 2023 were Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, UK, US (in alphabetical order).
Strong demand for personalised services continued to be a defining trend in the 2023 visa application patterns as well. VFS Global recorded a strong uptick in customised services such as the Visa At Your Doorstep (VAYD) service that empowers applicants to complete their entire visa application submission process from the comfort of their homes or any other location of their choice. Through this premium service, customers can submit their applications, enroll for biometrics, and get their passport couriered back to their location of choice. VAYD bookings in 2023 in India registered around five-fold increase when compared to 2019. VFS Global offers VAYD services for 16 countries in India – Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Switzerland, and UK.
Similarly, the demand for Premium Lounge, an optional service which provides end-to-end personalised assistance with visa application submission from the comfort of a lounge, is rising with the rise in application volumes. Another service named Prime Time, which allows visa application submission outside of working hours and even on weekends, has seen a healthy adoption since pandemic.
Please note that all these premium services are optional and has no bearing in expediting applicant’s visa process or favourable decision-making.
“We continue to see a healthy adoption of contactless and personalised services such as VAYD and Premium Lounge by discerning travellers post the pandemic due to health considerations. These services enhance the overall experience for applicants by offering them greater comfort and convenience when submitting their visa applications. We foresee higher demand for such premium services prioritising safe travel this year as well,” added Jairath.
VFS Global is the trusted partner to 52sovereign governments in Indiaand provides visa services on their behalf through a network of over 560 visa application centres spread across 19 cities.VFS Global’s role in the visa application process is limited to front-end administrative tasks only, which include collecting visa application forms, required documentation as per the checklist, and enrol biometrics, if applicable. VFS Global has no role in the decision-making process of granting or refusing a visa.
For more information, please visit www.vfsglobal.com.
Peak Season Travel Guide
#ApplyinAdvance
It is recommended to apply for visas as early as booking flights and stay. Most countries accept visa applications up to 90 days (3 months) before your date of travel. According to the revised Schengen Visa Code, effective 09th February 2020, you can apply for a Schengen visa up to 6 months before your date of travel. Particularly this year with higher demand and limited appointment slots available, we urge applicants to apply for their visa as early as possible.
#DoNotFallForFraud
Visa applicants are advised to beware of fraudulent entities who charge fees from customers for scheduling appointments or providing any other services using VFS Global’s name or independently.VFS Global does not charge any fee for booking appointments on www.vfsglobal.com which is the official website catering to visa applications. However, some governments require pre-payment of the service fee at the time of booking the appointment. This payment will be reimbursed or deducted during the application process. This step is only to ensure genuine travellers use appointment booking and the system is kept safe from misuse by fraudulent entities. For any assistance, feel free to reach out to one of our staff and to report any instances of fraud, visit https://secure.ethicspoint.eu/domain/media/en/gui/108559/index.html.
Enjoy our optional value-added services for a seamless visa experience such as:
· Visa At Your Doorstep: Apply for your visa and enrol biometrics from the location of your choice.
· Premium Lounge:Get an end-to-end personalised visa submission experience from the comfort of a lounge.
· Prime Time: Apply for your visa beyond normal working hours or even on weekends.
· Form-filling assistance: Allow our expert staff to assist you in completing your visa application on phone or at a visa application centre
· Courier Service: We deliver your passport and documents. It’s quick, safe, and convenient.
· Travel Medical Insurance:Get your mandatory Travel Medical Insurance including Covid-19 coverage from global insurers.
· SMS Alerts: Stay updated on the progress of your visa application.