The Embassy of the Netherlands in the UAE, along with VFS Global, a leading outsourcing and technology services specialist, has launched their visa application service in Dubai.

The new Schengen Visa Application Centre is aimed at catering to the growing demands of travellers in the region, offering new services, facilities and benefits to visa applicants.

VFS Global commenced service for the government of the Netherlands in 2006 with its first operation in India.  Today the company offers visa application processing for this government across 13 countries with 49 application centres.  This is part of a global contract that the company signed in 2013 and that aims to deliver a seamless and aligned process across the globe.

The service was inaugurated by Robert De Leeuw, Consul General of the Consulate General of the Netherlands, Dubai and Ajit Alexander, COO – Middle East and Africa, VFS Global.

De Leeuw said: “We are delighted the visa services to our clients will be handled by VFS global. A lot of the Dutch diplomatic and consular missions worldwide already cooperate with VFS for many years and we are pleased today to become a part of this successful joint venture.” 

“Although we have always welcomed and enjoyed working with our clients directly at the Dutch missions in the UAE, the demand for visas for the Netherlands, including the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, has increased rapidly and therefore we have decided that outsourcing is a win/win situation,” he said.

The key features of this Schengen Visa Application Centre are:

• A conveniently located and easily accessible  state-of-the art Visa Application Centre;
• Professional and responsive staff dedicated to handle visa queries and applications;
• Automated queue governance for smooth flow of applicants, providing better crowd management ;
• Dedicated website for easy access to information including visa categories, requirements and check-list, applicable fees and application status;
• Dedicated call centre and email support to answer queries and status of application;
• 100 per cent secure handling of passports, documents and personal information;
• In-VAC feedback kiosks and forms, and online feedback services  for applicants to share their recommendations and feedback about the services;
• Tracking of application status and SMS alerts for visa status update on mobile phones;
• Prime time appointment service allows applicants to lodge their applications beyond the normal processing hours;
• Premium Lounge Service;
• Cloaking Facility;
• Door-step delivery of passports. – TradeArabia News Service