Guwahati : Residents of Assam and the wider North East will soon be able to submit biometric data for international visa applications without travelling to Delhi or Mumbai, with VFS Global agreeing in principle to set up a dedicated visa facilitation centre in Guwahati.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the development on November 20, calling it a major relief for people across the region who currently undertake long and costly journeys to access visa services. “Travelling abroad? Need to submit biometrics for your visa application? That meant a long journey to either Delhi or Mumbai. Soon this will be history for our people from Assam and the North East,” he said in a social media post.

The proposed centre is expected to offer visa processing services for more than 60 countries. However, details on the specific countries to be covered and the timeline for the centre’s launch are yet to be finalised. Sarma said additional information would be shared once discussions with VFS Global progress.

VFS Global, which manages visa application centres across the world, has agreed to the plan in principle. The new facility is anticipated to significantly reduce travel time and expenses for applicants from the Northeastern states, who have long faced logistical hurdles due to the centralisation of consular services in major metropolitan cities.

Promotional | North East Integration Rally