Wait for visas is getting longer: Is there any solution? What VFS Global said
0
0
With the covid restriction easing and the start of regular international flights, many Indians prepare to travel abroad. However, for some of them, the process is too long due to great delay in getting a visa, especially for some European districts. For example, visa processing time in the UK has increased to four to ten weeks. Germany has stopped taking a permanent visa. Meanwhile, the Danish Embassy in India last week announced the suspension of the temporary application for short -term visas and residence permits.
Shilajit Sengupta, based in Bengaluru, has tried to get a guest scientist visa to attend summer school at Bonn Germany. “The appointment of a visa was not available until August, while I had to travel in September. Now, if I ordered my flight and at that time if my visa was not approved it would be a totally useless and large loss.”
Apoorva Shridhar, a communication professional who is currently based in London, has the same misery. His parents proposed their British visa on April 19; It’s been more than 7 weeks, and they haven’t received their visa. “We reach UKVI through paid services for investigation and receive standard responses ‘Decisions that are still waiting’. There is no communication about visa status or processing time,” Shridhar said.
This is a situation that is enough to frustrate and tense without clarity about how long the visa processing will take place, he added further. Apart from the problems that demonstrate mentally, Shridharsaid, “There are also big financial aspects associated with changing or canceling international flight tickets during the peak trip season”
What are the reasons behind the delay?
Visa facilitating the Global VFS agency shows that excessive workload due to the sudden increase in visa applications is the main reason for a longer waiting period. Apart from the lack of staff at the Embassy, and the tighter rules for issuing visas also lead to delays.
Increase in tourist visa applications
With the opening of the international border and the start of flights to these countries, there is an increase that has never happened before in requests for traveling out. In addition, due to the outbreak of Covid, many students and professionals who work have returned to India; And when countries are open again, they plan to return to those countries. “As a result, we experienced a high volume of visa applications coupled with the availability of limited gathering promises and stretching visa processing schedules from India,” Sound Mitra, Deputy General Manager, VFS Global told Live Mint. At present, the agency has received around 20,000 applications every day “which is close to the volume recorded during the Pre-Pandemic peak season.”
Short-staffed embassies
Many embassies in India closed their temporary visa processing centers after Covid-19 afterwards and officials returned to their country. And now when the offices are reopened, the embassy find it difficult to bring back officials who previously worked for them.In fact, the Denmark and German embassies have posted job vacancies for this post recently.
Stricter rules
After the Covid outbreak, several districts have tightened the rules to provide a visa. Processing now involves several more examinations, for example, verification of vaccination certificates.
Is there any solution to this problem?
There is no direct solution, VFS Global said, “We have urged visa customers to apply early to avoid the last minute in the last minute.” The agency also said they could not provide further details about the visa processing time line as “information about the same thing provided by each client’s government on their website.”
With the covid restriction easing and the start of regular international flights, many Indians prepare to travel abroad. However, for some of them, the process is too long due to great delay in getting a visa, especially for some European districts. For example, visa processing time in the UK has increased to four to ten…