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Officials at the Portugal Visa Application Centre inauguration

Portugal visa application centre opens in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH, April 1, 2015

The Embassy of Portugal in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has outsourced its visa application process to VFS Global, a global technology services specialist for diplomatic missions and governments worldwide.

People who want to apply for Schengen visas to Portugal can now do so at the centre managed by VFS Global in Riyadh. While VFS Global will accept visa applications, the Embassy will continue to make the assessment and decisions regarding all visas.

This service will soon be extended to Jeddah and Al Khobar for the convenience of applicants from the two cities and neighbouring areas.
 
The Ambassador of Portugal to Saudi Arabia, Dr Manuel Carvalho, along with Mr Ajit Alexander, COO - Middle East and Africa, VFS Global, inaugurated the Portugal Visa Application Centre at the Joint Visa Application Centre in Riyadh.

Ambassador Carvalho said: “We have been working with VFS Global in other countries and we understood that synergies could be drawn from a partnership in Saudi Arabia. We expect that this new service, especially when it is extended to Jeddah and Al Khobar will further facilitate travelling to Portugal for Saudi residents.”

Ajit Alexander, COO Middle East and Africa, VFS Global, said: “It is an honour and our privilege to serve the Embassy of Portugal in the region to provide better service and shorten the handling time for Schengen visa applications. This launch of Portugal visa application process will offer a convenient visa application submission experience to the residents in the country. We are committed to delivering a professional and high-quality service to all applicants and travel agents in Saudi Arabia.”

The Centre in Riyadh will accept applications for visas to Portugal from applicants and travel agents residing in the area. The service would attract a nominal service fee, payable at the centre at the time of submitting applications.

The centre will remain open from 9 am to 5 pm for enhanced convenience to applicants and travel agents.

The key features of the Application Centre include:
• Priority facilitation for disabled, senior applicants and pregnant women;
• Premium Lounge for comfortable and personalised service;
• Professional staff with local language capability dedicated to handle visa queries and applications;
• Automated queue governance for smooth flow of applicants, providing better crowd management;
• Dedicated website for easy access to information including visa categories, requirements, check-list and applicable fees;
• Dedicated call centres and email support to answer queries and status of application;
• 100 per cent secure handling of passports, documents and personal information;
• SMS alerts for visa status update;
• Door-step delivery of passports;
• Dedicated visa enquiry desks in English and Arabic.

VFS Global started operations for the Government of Portugal in 2008, and now serves the client in India, China, Colombia, Russia and South Africa. – TradeArabia News Service
 




Tags: Saudi Arabia | Visa | Riyadh | Application | Portugal |

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