Tag: VFS Global

New Premium Application Centre for UK Student Visas Opens at Sunway Resort Hotel in Selangor

  • UK student visa customers in and around Selangor can submit their application with ease at this new location
  • As part of this package, customers will also receive a range of additional services such as courier return of passport and SMS notification

VFS Global, the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions, entered into a strategic partnership with the Sunway Resort Hotel in Selangor, Malaysia. Through this alliance, VFS Global aims to offer UK student visa services through its UK Premium Application Centre at the Sunway Resort Hotel in Selangor.

UK student visa customers can now book appointments at the Premium Application Centre to submit their applications and enrol biometrics. This partnership will provide customers residing in and around Selangor with a new location option in addition to the existing free-to-use Visa Application Centres located in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

This is a premium location for customers wishing to apply for their visa in the ambience and comfort of a 5-star hotel. There is a fee of MYR 250 to apply at this location, which includes courier and SMS updates. The fee for this service must be paid online while booking your appointment, before attending the Visa Application Centre.

Jeanne Chan, Director of Commercial, Sunway Resort Hotel, said, “We are delighted to partner with VFS Global for a strategic initiative that offers convenience to UK student visa applicants at our hotel. Through the opening of this new visa centre, we look forward to extending the warm hospitality and exceptional services of the Sunway Resort Hotel and providing customers with convenient access to plan their international travel.”

Kaushik Ghosh, Head ? Australasia, VFS Global, said, “The partnership with the Sunway Resort Hotel in Selangor provides additional and conveniently located touchpoints to our customers. UK student visa customers will continue to enjoy the same comfort, convenience, and best-in-class services at this new location that they do at our Visa Application Centres, as well as experience the comfort and hospitality offered by the Sunway Resort Hotel.”

VFS Global has enjoyed a long-standing relation with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) in Malaysia since 2004, offering UK visa services through centres in Kuala Lumpur.

For more information, please visit https://visa.vfsglobal.com/mys/en/gbr.

Student visa applications from Malaysia in 2022 rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, reiterating early recovery in international travel. According to VFS Global, student visa application in 2022 were 4% higher than the volumes in 2019. Applications were 38% higher in comparison to 2021 as many international borders were closed with pandemic-induced travel restrictions and international university campuses operated hybrid schedules.

More than 7,220 Malaysian nationals were issued a Student visa to study in the UK in 2022 (www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-december-2022), just shy of pre-pandemic numbers in 2019. Given the travel restrictions in 2020 and 2021, the number of visas issued in this category in 2022 rose by 3,000 and 500, respectively.

About VFS Global
VFS Global is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions. VFS Global is the trusted partner of 68 client governments, operating a global network with more than 3,300 Application Centres in 145 countries. The company has processed over 264 million applications since its inception in 2001. The company manages non-judgmental and administrative tasks related to applications for visa, passport, and consular services for its client governments, enabling them to focus entirely on the critical assessment task. VFS Global has its headquarters in Zurich/Switzerland and Dubai/United Arab Emirates.

VFS Global is majority-owned by funds managed by Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager. Blackstone seeks to create positive economic impact and long-term value for their investors, the companies in which they invest, and the communities in which they work. Blackstone’s USD 991 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets, and secondary funds, all on a global basis.

The Swiss-based Kuoni and Hugentobler Foundation and EQT, a global investment organisation, headquartered in Stockholm/Sweden, hold minority stakes in VFS Global.

Media Contact
PRecious Communications
Sharifah Nurafiqah Jamalaulil
+6013 221 7269
sharifah@preciouscomms.com

Abdul Azim
+60106539949
azim@preciouscomms.com

Speedy immigration clearance for Australian visitors entering Indonesia with first-ever fast-track Visa on Arrival service

  •  First-ever pre-approved Visa on Arrival service makes visa applications quicker and more convenient for 86 nationalities travelling for work and leisure
  • Quick and hassle-free immigration clearance upon arrival in Indonesia

It is holiday season all year round in Bali, where travellers make their yearly pilgrimage to the beautiful island in Indonesia, a travel hotspot. To aid the increase in travel demand to Indonesia and especially Bali, VFS Global has rolled out the first-of-its-kind Indonesia fast-track Visa on Arrival service. Visitors from 86 different countries, including Australia, can now enjoy a quicker and smoother visa application journey by completing the process online, pre-departure, offered by VFS Global.

The service is provided in an exclusive agreement with TLP, the partner of the Immigration Department for Republic of Indonesia and Bank Mandiri. Apart from Bali, it is also available to Jakarta-bound travellers.

Since the lifting of the travel restrictions brought about by the pandemic, the number of visitors to Bali in 2022 has been consistently hitting new highs, with Australians taking up a massive 32.2% of the total number to the sunny destination in July 2022, making them the top visitors to Bali. Following close behind were travellers from India, the United Kingdom, France and the United States of America, according to Bali Central Bureau of Statistics data released on 2 September.

With the fast-track Visa on Arrival, immigration clearance for 86 nationalities, including India and France, can save up to three hours of waiting time. All they have to do is simply apply for their Indonesia Visa on Arrival through VFS Global on indonesiavoa.vfsevisa.id.

The service will take visitors through an online pre-payment of fees, fast-track access and concierge services prior to their travel. With the confirmation sent to their registered email ID, the only step during arrival would be to get the visa stamped at the designated fast-track Visa on Arrival immigration lanes.

Mr. Jiten Vyas, Chief Commercial Officer, VFS Global said, “Indonesia, especially Bali, is a popular destination for travellers across the globe. Unveiling a fuss-free, speedy service that will make travellers’ visa application journey quicker and simpler will give these visitors less time on waiting and more time for their holiday. With tech-led Do It Yourself solutions becoming increasingly popular, this first-ever fast-track Visa on Arrival service is sure to offer applicants a more relaxed on-arrival experience.”

How to use the fast-track VOA service
STEP 1: Visit indonesiavoa.vfsevisa.id
STEP 2: Submit the required documents and pay the VOA fee online
STEP 3: Await the confirmation email that will be sent to the registered email ID
STEP 4: Upon landing in Jakarta and Bali, head to the dedicated fast-track lane with the confirmation email to get the visa stamped

VFS Global will offer Standard and Fast track service (Express) options. Applicants opting for the Standard service will be able to submit their applications no less than 72 hours prior to the date of departure, and benefit from the fast-track immigration process. Those opting for the Fast track service (Express) service will be able to submit their applications no less than 24 hours prior to the date of departure. The Express service additionally provides end-to-end personalised assistance and guidance, right from the arrival gate through immigration, baggage claim, and customs.

About VFS Global
VFS Global is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions. VFS Global is the trusted partner of 65 client governments, operating a global network with more than 3,500 Application Centres in 144 countries. The company has processed over 246 million applications since its inception in 2001. The company manages non-judgmental and administrative tasks related to applications for visa, passport, and consular services for its client governments, enabling them to focus entirely on the critical assessment task. VFS Global has its headquarters in Zurich/Switzerland and Dubai/United Arab Emirates.

VFS Global is majority-owned by funds managed by Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager. Blackstone seeks to create positive economic impact and long-term value for their investors, the companies in which they invest, and the communities in which they work. Blackstone’s USD 915 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets, and secondary funds, all on a global basis.

The Swiss-based Kuoni and Hugentobler Foundation and EQT, a global investment organisation, headquartered in Stockholm/Sweden, hold minority stakes in VFS Global. www.vfsglobal.com

Media Contact
Soubhik Mitra
Corporate Communications
soubhikm@vfsglobal.com
communications@vfsglobal.com

Jacqualine Chan
PRecious Communications
Jacqualine.chan@preciouscomms.com

New Philippine ePassport Renewal Center inaugurated in Singapore

  • Managed and operated by VFS Global, the Philippine ePassport Renewal Center (PaRC) is located at 79 Anson, 15-02, Singapore 079906
  • Filipino nationals in Singapore can submit their passport renewal requests from Monday to Friday between 8 AM and 4 PM

Hon. Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines, inaugurated the new Philippine ePassport Renewal Center in Singapore on 28 January 2022 in the presence of other distinguished dignitaries. In a bid to ease the ePassport renewal process for Filipino nationals living overseas, the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines and VFS Global had signed a contract on 6 August 2021 to extend Philippine ePassport Renewal services to eight other countries aside from Singapore.

Hon. Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines (4th from left), with H.E. Mr. Joseph del Mar Yap, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Singapore (2nd from right), Mr. Nathaniel G. Imperial, Assistance Secretary- ASPAC (1st from left) and Mr. Brigido J. Dulay, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Affairs (2nd from left), at the unveiling of the plaque of the Philippine ePassport Renewal Centre in Singapore.

The launch of the VFS Global ePassport Renewal Center in Singapore marked the first time the Department of Foreign Affairs outsourced its ePassport renewal process for its nationals living in the Asia Pacific region. Following the success of the operations in the pilot location in Dubai which operates 12 hours every day, VFS Global successfully expanded its services to one more city in the UAE. This was followed by Centres in other countries like Ireland, Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the UK, and the US, amidst the pandemic.

Commenting at the launch of the ePassport Renewal Center (PaRC), Hon. Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Philippines, said “The establishment of ePassport Renewal Centers in various parts of the world is an attestation of the President’s commitment to ensuring that government services are accessible and convenient to every Filipino. Singapore is certainly a priority for this service, as over 200,000 Filipinos in Singapore will benefit from having the option to renew their passport in another location aside from the Philippine Embassy.”

Mr. Jiten Vyas, Regional Group COO, VFS Global, added “We would like to thank the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines for its continued faith in us. Our passport and consular services have been growing from strength to strength, and we look forward to bringing those best-in-class services to Filipino nationals here in Singapore with this new Centre.”

Key benefits of the Philippine ePassport Renewal Center:

  • Improved passport services to Philippine nationals living overseas
  • Reduced crowding at Consulates/Embassies and greater convenience for the customer submitting their application with VFS Global
  • Strict verifiable processes to ensure accuracy of biometric data collection
  • Flexible ‘prime time’ services at select locations for submissions beyond regular office hours
  • Optional two-way courier services for safe delivery of your passports
  • Application tracking facility with the SMS service
  • Form filling support

Important information for Philippine ePassport Renewal services customers in Singapore:
As the safety of our customers and employees is our priority, VFS Global has implemented strict health and safety measures in line with Government guidelines for physical distancing at the Centres. Customers must wear a face mask/face covering to enter the premises, and a temperature reading will be required on arrival. Customers exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, including fever (higher than 37.3 degrees Celsius), cough and difficulty in breathing, will not be allowed to proceed with their applications and be allowed to reschedule their appointments for another day. Customers can visit our website: https://services.vfsglobal.com/sgp/en/phl or email us at info.philippinesg@vfshelpline.com for more details.

Philippine ePassport Renewal Center
Address in Singapore: 79 Anson, 15-02, Singapore 079906
Email id: info.philippinesg@vfshelpline.com
Website: https://services.vfsglobal.com/sgp/en/phl
Submission Timing: 0800 hrs-1600 hrs (Monday to Friday, except holidays)

*VFS Global will be responsible only for accepting applications for client missions. All applications submitted will continue to be assessed and processed by the respective client missions. Timelines for turnaround are as per the discretion of the authorities.

About VFS Global
VFS Global is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. With 3516 Application Centres, operations in 143 countries across five continents and over 236 million applications processed (since inception in 2001) as on 31 December 2021, VFS Global is the trusted partner of 63 client governments. The company manages non-judgmental and administrative tasks related to applications for visa, passport and consular services for its client governments, enabling them to focus entirely on the critical task of assessment.

Media Contact:
Sukanya Chakraborty
sukanyac@vfsglobal.com
communications@vfsglobal.com