Visa applications in India surpass pre-pandemic volumes in H1 2024

Hyderabad: Robust pent-up demand for outbound travel from India for the first time went past the pre-pandemic levels in H1 2024 (January to June 2024). According to VFS Global that manages visa applications for 51 countries from India, the volumes recorded in H1 2024, surpassed the same period in 2019 by 2 per cent. It also witnessed a steady 11 per cent YoY growth in application counts over H1 2023.

“Outbound travel demand from India has remained robust and it was a matter of time that pre-pandemic levels were restored. India has been witnessing an extended travel season over the past two years and we are confident the momentum would last till the year-end. We remain committed to providing exceptional customer service through technology-led, seamless, highly secure and reliable solutions,” said Yummi Talwar, Chief Operating Officer - (South Asia), VFS Global.

Talwar emphasised the importance of applicants being cautious of counterfeit websites and fraudulent social media pages that pose as VFS Global and offer appointments in exchange of money. "Appointments are free and are exclusively available through www.vfsglobal.com on a first-come, first-served basis. As a responsible service provider, we persist in raising awareness about this concern and encourage applicants to arrange their travel plans well in advance."

Some of the popular destinations comprise Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, USA and UK. (in alphabetical order).

The preference for tailored services persisted as a predominant trend in visa application behaviours. VFS Global noted a significant increase in the demand for personalised services such as Visa at Your Doorstep (VAYD). This premium optional service allows applicants to manage the full visa application submission from their homes or any preferred location, including biometric enrolment. VAYD bookings in H1 2024 in India registered around five-fold increase when compared to 2019 as a well YoY increase of 16 per cent over H1 2023. VFS Global provides its VAYD services for 16 nations within India, including Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Switzerland, and the UK.

"The preference for personalised services like VAYD has increased among travelers post-pandemic due to health reasons. These offerings improve the visa application process by providing additional comfort and convenience. We anticipate a growing demand for these premium services that emphasise secure travel within this year as well," added Talwar

VFS Global is the trusted partner to 52 sovereign governments in India and provides visa services on their behalf through a network of over 560 visa application centres spread across 19 cities. VFS Global’s role in the visa application process is limited to front-end administrative tasks only, which include collecting visa application forms, required documentation as per the checklist, and enrol biometrics, if applicable. VFS Global has no role in the decision-making process of granting or refusing a visa.