India Post, VFS Global tie up to offer visa related services

India Post has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with VFS Global to provide visa related services for different countries through post offices.

The MoU, signed in New Delhi on 30 August, sets out broad understandings and intentions of both the parties to provide visa related services at places where they are not currently available.

Post office counters will be used for fee collections, providing visa applications forms, dissemination of visa information, biometric enrollment and other visa application process related services.

India Post and VFS are also planning to cooperate in utilising India Post's courier service, Speed Post, for movements of passports to VFS offices and concerned embassies, and their delivery back to the applicants. Both the parties will also explore scope for providing any other service leveraging India Post's nationwide network.

VFS Global is in the business of visa application services and is working with 35 governments across the world with over 450 offices in 50 countries. India Post and VFS say the two have several areas of mutual interest and synergy, which would benefit the public at large.

Currently, visa related services are largely available in metros only and people from smaller cities and rural areas have to travel long distances in order to avail these services. Lack of information is also a major area of concern as this allows unscrupulous elements to cheat unsuspecting and vulnerable people.

Engagement of India Post towards provision of visa related services is expected to address this situation to a large extent, an official release said today.