Guwahati to get visa facilitation centre for over 60 countries

Residents of Assam and the North East will soon be able to submit biometric data for visa applications without travelling to Delhi or Mumbai, following an agreement by VFS Global to establish a dedicated visa facilitation centre in Guwahati.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the development on social media on November 20, describing it as a significant relief for people in the region who currently face lengthy journeys to access visa services.

"Travelling abroad? Need to submit biometrics for your visa application? That meant a long journey to either Delhi or Mumbai. Soon this will be history for our people from Assam and the North East," Sarma wrote.

The facility will provide visa processing services for more than 60 countries, though specific details about which nations will be covered and when the centre will become operational have yet to be disclosed.

VFS Global, which operates visa application centres worldwide, has agreed in principle to the proposal. The Chief Minister indicated that further information regarding the list of countries and opening timelines would be shared in due course.

The move is expected to substantially reduce travel costs and time for applicants from the North Eastern states, who have long faced geographical disadvantages in accessing consular services concentrated in major metropolitan areas.