BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday inaugurated a new visa application centre in Bhubaneswar.
Operated by VFS Global, the facility spans over 3,000 sq ft area at the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Bus Terminal in Baramunda. It is expected to significantly benefit residents of the state, who earlier had to travel to Kolkata to submit visa applications.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said the centre reflects Odisha’s growing global engagement and commitment to citizen-centric services. He further underlined that improved access to visa services would promote industries, boost tourism and facilitate international collaboration.
Highlighting the state government’s role in bringing the project to fruition, Majhi said it had urged the Centre to establish a visa facility in Bhubaneswar to meet the rising demands. He acknowledged the support extended by the Union government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in making the centre operational.
In its first phase, the centre will process visa applications for 10 countries - the United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, Estonia, Italy, Malta, Switzerland, Japan, Morocco and Egypt - with plans to expand services to more destinations in the near future.
Officials said the centre will reduce travel costs and time for applicants from Odisha and neighbouring regions. It is designed to offer a seamless and efficient application experience.
VFS Global, which manages visa and consular services for governments worldwide, currently operates more than 4,000 application centres across 167 countries. The company provides visa services for 53 countries including India through over 560 centres in 20 cities.
Founder and CEO of VFS Global Zubin Karkaria has overseen the company’s expansion into the world’s largest visa outsourcing and technology services provider, facilitating secure and efficient mobility solutions globally. The inauguration ceremony was attended by embassy officials from Austria, Italy and Switzerland, along with senior state government officials and representatives of VFS Global.