VFS Global renews contract for Germany visa services across the Middle East; adds four new locations to the network
The German Federal Foreign Office has renewed its contract with VFS Global in the Middle East for an additional seven years. Under this mandate, VFS Global will continue to provide Germany visa services through its centres in Algiers, Algeria; Manama, Bahrain; Erbil, Iraq; Amman, Jordan; Doha, Qatar; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Beirut, Lebanon; Muscat, Oman; and Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE, with additional operations in Nicosia, Cyprus; Yaounde, Cameroon; and Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria in the coming months.
Jiten Vyas, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Business Development, VFS Global said, 'Our longstanding association with the German Federal Foreign Office is a testament to their faith in our service, and we are excited to continue this journey in the Middle East. With the growing demand for international travel from the region, and Germany's popularity as a destination for travellers across segments, we look forward to welcoming even more applicants at our centres in the coming years.'
VFS Global has been providing visa services on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office since June 2005, through a global network of 68 Visa Application Centres across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. The new mandate will bring VFS Global's Germany Visa Application Centre network to 72 locations worldwide.
#ApplyinAdvance: It is recommended to apply for visas as early as booking flights and stay. Particularly this year with higher demand and limited appointment slots available, we urge applicants to apply for their visa as early as possible. You can apply for a Schengen visa up to 6 months before your date of travel.
#DoNotFallForFraud: Visa applicants are advised to beware of fraudulent entities who charge fees from customers for scheduling appointments or providing any other services using VFS Global's name or independently. VFS Global does not charge any fee for booking appointments on www.vfsglobal.com which is the official website catering to visa applications. However, some governments require pre-payment of the service fee at the time of booking the appointment. This step is only to ensure genuine travellers use appointment booking and the system is kept safe from misuse by fraudulent entities.
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'We urge applicants to beware of fraudulent third-party entities posing as VFS Global or embassy staff promising faster appointments and guaranteed visa outcomes for an additional fee. VFS Global does not charge for booking an appointment.' Shift away from Europe Preparing months in advance did not work for Dubai resident Cherry Pachisia who could not find a slot despite closely tracking appointment lists since January. Instead her family enjoyed sightseeing in Turkey last year and will be in Kenya this month. 'We dropped Europe as an option for a holiday, it's just not worth it trying to fight for a visa like this,' said Ms Pachisia, who works in the energy sector. 'It's quite frustrating because I also need a visa for work travel and checking online myself for appointments has not worked.' A seasoned business traveller, Ms Pachisia and her family also have 10-year US and UK visas. 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South African teacher P Anderson has booked a vacation in Bali this year. 'I tried for months for an appointment,' the primary school teacher said. 'I have friends in Europe but now we will meet in Indonesia. I'm putting Europe behind me and the money I save, I can use to explore other countries.' Paying a hefty fee Another traveller, Ms Ahmed, a marketing professional who did not want to her full name to be published, paid a travel company Dh2,500 as she needed to be in Portugal this summer. This is separate from the Schengen visa fee and additional charges such as premium lounge access. The last time she remembers securing an appointment on her own without asking a travel agency for assistance was three years ago. 'The only thing I'm paying for is the convenience of getting an appointment date and not constantly going on to the VFS website, constantly looking for a date and being disappointed,' said Ahmed, from India, who finally secured a one-year visa. 'You need to sign an agreement with the company that you will accept whichever country they get an appointment with and if you miss it, you lose your money. This makes me fearful for next year when I will have to do this process again.' Travel agencies told of companies with staff dedicated to finding appointments, of lengthy wait times of five to six months and slots booked up to September. 'Everybody is suffering from delays, it's not recent, this has been the case for more than a year,' said Mohamed Zoeb, head of sales at Avalon travel agency. 'Travel agencies have our own connections and we use these to help those who need to travel in emergencies. In the end, it's up to a client to look at the market and evaluate which agency is a right fit.' Athletes left in limbo The uncertainty has also led to anxiety among athletes, who stress about their visa instead of focusing on training for sporting events in Europe. Jad, a triathlete in Dubai, typically obtained one-year visas over the past few years. The Lebanese national was disappointed to receive a 15-day visa this year limiting him to a single competition in France, unlike his teammates who will enter multiple sporting events this year. 'It was quite disheartening because you build and train for more than a year. Normally, I have peace of mind because my Schengen visa is for a year minimum. The issue is there are no appointments and I've been trying since January.' Jad works in the real estate sector and travels to Europe at least three times a year on vacation to be with family and friends. He worked with three travel agents to secure an appointment. 'The people I train with ask why I'm stressed. I tell them they can go easily because they have British or Irish passports. I can't even go to training camps because I need to plan so far in advance, it's ridiculous,' he said. 'There is a wedding in France my family will be at but I can't go because my visa is for only 15 days. It's a disaster.'
