New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated Northeast India's first multi-country Visa Application Centre in Guwahati, a development designed to spare local residents the logistical and financial burdens of traveling to distant metropolitan hubs.
For years, individuals across northeastern states seeking visas for tourism, education, employment, or medical care faced considerable hurdles. Fulfilling requirements such as submitting documents and biometrics typically meant booking flights or long train journeys to Kolkata, Delhi, or Mumbai, alongside arranging overnight lodging and taking time off from work or studies.
Operated by VFS Global, the newly opened facility in Guwahati handles the administrative aspects of the visa process, including gathering paperwork, capturing fingerprints and photos, and returning processed passports. Final decisions regarding approval or denial continue to rest with the respective foreign embassies and governments rather than the centre itself.
In its initial phase, the VAC will process applications for 14 nations, encompassing several European Schengen destinations alongside countries such as Japan, Ireland, Egypt, and Morocco. State officials have indicated that the scope of the centre could eventually expand to cover more than 60 countries.
The launch has drawn praise from regional leaders and public figures, who noted that bringing these services closer to home significantly improves global connectivity and accessibility for residents throughout Assam and the wider Northeast.