The Hindu Business Line : Belgium, Netherlands open visa centre in Bangalore

EXPANDING SERVICES: Mr Jan F. van Vriesland (right), Consul, Consulate General of Netherlands, Mumbai, addressing a press conference along with Mr Mark Neel, Consul, Consulate General of Belgium, Mumbai, at the launch of Benelux Visa Application Centre in Bangalore on Monday. — V. Sreenivasa_Murthy

Bangalore April 16 Belgium and the Netherlands announced on Monday the expansion of their visa services by formally launching a separate Benelux Visa Application Centre here.

The two consulates, which had been rendering the services at their offices in Mumbai and Delhi, had outsourced the task to VFS Global, a private visa facilitation service company last year. Similar arrangement has been replicated in Bangalore, where a separate counter has been opened.

Catering to the South

Addressing a joint press conference here on Monday, Mr Mark Neel, Consul, Consulate General of Belgium, Mumbai, and Mr Jan F.van Vriesland, Consul, Consulate General of Netherlands, Mumbai, said the new VFS counter would cater to the needs of the entire southern India, which have shown a rapid growth in applications for Benelux Visa.

Mr Neel said of the total visa applications, 20 per cent came Bangalore alone.

The consulate received 18,000 applications last year and it grew by 45 per cent this year. About 25 per cent of the total applications are for tourists category, he added.

Mr Vriesland said his country attracted largely business visitors. He had no numbers to give. Applicants usually seek Schengen Visa, which allows entry to several European destinations, which are members of the system. Visitors could also apply for individual visas to the specific countries of Belgium and the Netherlands, Mr Neel said.

Schengen Visa costs € 90 while it costs € 90 for the two individual countries.

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