10 Schengen states will now be served from one location

10 June 2015: The Embassy and Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the UAE, along with VFS Global, the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions, formally 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 Kingdom 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 Mr. Robert De Leeuw, Consul General of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Netherlands, Dubai and Mr Ajit Alexander, COO – Middle East and Africa, VFS Global, on 10 June, 2015 in the presence of dignitaries and the media. The Kingdom of the Netherlands joins Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland at this Schengen Visa Application Centre.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Robert 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.

The flexibility and professionalism of an organization like VFS Global, who is already operating as visa front office for a vast majority of our Schengen Counterparts, will help travelers for the Netherlands, including the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, to hand in their application in a fast and professional way.”

Adding to these comments, Mr Ajit Alexander said, “VFS Global is honoured to be the trusted partner to the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and to be able to extend our services to Oman and Dubai.  We are committed to offering a convenient and accessible service with modern facilities for travellers in this region”.

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% 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