The Embassy of Austria in Jordan in partnership with VFS Global, an outsourcing and technology services specialist for diplomatic missions, has set up a new Austrian Visa Application Centre in Erbil.

The centre will also accept visa applications for Slovenia as per the agreement between the governments of Austria and Slovenia.

The new Visa Application Centre (VAC) is aimed at catering to the growing demands of Europe bound travellers in the region, offering new services, and facilities for visa applicants. Residents of Iraq can now apply for their visas to Austria at VFS Global’s convenient and comfortable Visa Application Centre and expect professional services at all times, a statement said.

The new centre was inaugurated Karl-August Lux, senior expert for Visa Matters - Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Zubin Karkaria, chief executive officer, VFS Global Group. VFS Global will be responsible for accepting visa applications for Austria, from applicants residing in Erbil and other parts of Iraq.

All applications will continue to be assessed and processed by Austrian Embassy in Jordan.

“Austria is happy to continue its cooperation with VFS Global which proved to be a reliable partner in the visa process of Austria for a long time,” Lux said.

“VFS Global and the Austrian Embassy in Amman can now provide a better service to the applicants in the region. Furthermore, we are proud to continue our cooperation with Slovenia. This common visa application centre shows that European cooperation and cooperation with external partners like VFS Global go perfectly together.”

Karkaria said: “VFS Global is honoured to serve the Austrian Government in Iraq. We are committed to providing excellent visa application services across the globe and enhancing the overall visa application experience for applicants. We assure applicants from Iraq the highest levels of service and a seamless, comfortable and convenient visa application process.” – TradeArabia News Service