
Dubai: VFS launches ‘world's largest visa application centre'
At roughly 150,000 square feet, the centre is equipped to handle up to 10,000 visa applications daily – a capacity that stands as the highest for any single location, according to a statement.
The facility will be supported by a team of over 400 trained professionals from more than 25 nationalities, the statement added.
'Visa facilitation is a key enabler of talent attraction, tourism development, and international partnerships — all essential levers of our strategy to position Dubai as the world's most connected and future-ready city,' said Helal Saeed Almarri, Director-General of Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism in the statement.
'This milestone is more than an infrastructure achievement — it reflects the strategic direction Dubai is taking to enhance global mobility, unlock access to opportunity, and accelerate growth across our visitor and business economy,' he said, adding that 'strengthening seamless access to and from Dubai remains a priority.'
VFS is a visa outsourcing and technology services specialist. It operates 3616 application centres in 158 countries, and has processed more than 311 million applications since 2001, according to its website.
It is headquartered in Zurich and Dubai and majority owned through investment funds managed by Blackstone Inc, along with minority stakeholders including Swiss-based Kuoni and Hugentobler Foundation, the wesbite states.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Air Canada workers picket airports after flight attendants strike over wages
People hold placards as a strike begins after the union representing Air Canada's 10,000 flight attendants failed to reach an agreement with the airline, at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Dorval, Quebec, Canada August 16, REUTERS Hundreds of Air Canada employees formed picket lines outside major Canadian airports and business leaders sought government intervention on Saturday, hours after unionized flight attendants walked off the job over a wage contract dispute. The strike, which started just before 1 a.m. EDT (0500 GMT), forced Canada's largest airline to cancel all of its 700 daily flights, affecting more than 100,000 travelers who had to find alternative flights or stay put. The airline said in a statement on Saturday that it has started locking out thousands of flight attendants in response to the strike action. The carrier had offered a 38% increase in total compensation for flight attendants over four years, with a 25% raise in the first year, which the Canadian Union of Public Employees said was insufficient. CUPE, representing more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, confirmed the work stoppage in a social media post. It is the first strike by Air Canada flight attendants since 1985. Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada component of CUPE, said in a press conference in Toronto that, as of Saturday morning, there were no bargaining sessions scheduled between the two sides, which have held on-and-off negotiations for months. Read More: Canada sheds 40,800 jobs as tariffs dent hiring "We are here because Air Canada forces us to work for free for hours and hours every day, and we are here because we are not going to accept it anymore," he said. Outside Toronto Pearson International Airport - the country's busiest - hundreds of cabin crew waved flags, banners and picket signs. Union officials called on members to assemble outside all of the country's major airports, including in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. Montreal-based Air Canada said the suspended flights included those operated by its budget arm, Air Canada Rouge. The stoppage would affect about 130,000 customers a day, the carrier said in a statement. Flights by Air Canada's regional affiliates - Air Canada Jazz and PAL Airlines - will operate as usual. Wage dispute The dispute between the union and the airline centers on wages. Attendants are currently paid only when their plane is moving. The union is seeking compensation for time spent on the ground between flights and when helping passengers board. A US judge kept his block on President Donald Trump's buyout plan for federal employees in place on Monday. The union has said Air Canada offered to compensate flight attendants for some work that is now unpaid but only at 50% of their hourly rate. A source close to the negotiations told Reuters the union is looking for parity on wages with Canadian leisure carrier Air Transat, where flight attendants approved a contract last year that provided for total compounded increases of 30% over five years, making them the highest paid in the industry in Canada. Air Canada did not confirm if such a proposal had been put forth by the union. "What we're asking for is not unreasonable. It is not a high demand. It is not that far off other competitors such as Air Transat. It is realistic and it is deserved," Lesosky from CUPE said. The impact of a strike will ripple far beyond Canada. Air Canada is the busiest foreign carrier servicing the U.S. by number of scheduled flights.


Business Recorder
18 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Weekly SPI inflation up 0.31pc
ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Index-based inflation witnessed an increase of 0.31 percent for the week ended August 13, 2025 compared to 0.05per cent in the previous week. Major increase is observed in the prices of tomatoes 12.62per cent, chicken 4.68per cent, eggs 2.11percent, onions 1.98per cent, garlic 1.60 percent, wheat flour1.44per cent, gur1.04per cent, maash0.52per cent and firewood 0.17 per cent. On the other hand, decrease is observed in the prices of bananas 2.52per cent, potatoes 1.65 per cent, pulse gram0.84per cent, pulse moong0.73per cent, LPG 0.36per cent, masoor0.29per cent, vegetable ghee 1kg 0.10per cent, salt powdered 0.06per cent and rice Irri-6/9 0.04per cent. During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 17 (33.33 per cent)items increased. Whereas, nine (17.65per cent) items decreased and25 (49.02per cent) items remained stable. The year-on-year trend depicts an increase of 2.21per cent. Major increase is observed in the prices of ladies sandal 55.62per cent, gas charges for Q1 29.85 per cent, sugar 22.83per cent, beef 13.54per cent, moong 13.32per cent, vegetableghee 2.5kg 11.97per cent, gur 11.65per cent, firewood 11.41per cent, vegetable ghee 1kg 11.25per cent, cooked beef 8.86per cent, cooked daal 8.22per cent, and diesel 7.38per cent. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025


Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
OnlyFans prodigy Sophie Rain shocks MrBeast with $1 million donation to TeamWater charity livestream
OnlyFans creator Sophie Rain surprised YouTube megastar MrBeast with a $1 million donation during his TeamWater charity livestream on Thursday night. The 20-year-old influencer, known for her massive online following and claims of extraordinary earnings from the subscription-based platform, called into the stream and made the unexpected pledge live on air. MrBeast (real name Jimmy Donaldson), who hosted the livestream alongside creators Adin Ross and xQc, partnered with Mark Rober for the TeamWater initiative. The campaign aims to raise $40 million throughout August to provide clean water access to underserved communities globally. During the livestream, Rain expressed her motivation to give, stating, 'I've been wanting to donate... I want to donate $1 million.' Sophie Rain just left MrBeast, Adin Ross, and xQc shook after donating $1 million to his clean water charity 🤯 — FearBuck (@FearedBuck) August 15, 2025 Donaldson, visibly stunned, responded, 'You sure?!' Rain confirmed she was certain, calling the cause 'awesome' and thanking MrBeast for his efforts. As of Friday morning, the stream had already raised over $10 million of its $12 million target, while the broader campaign had reached $29.3 million in contributions. call it dirty money, but i still donated $1m more than you did 🤷♀️ thank you for the opportunity #TeamWater — Sophie Rain (@sophieraiin) August 15, 2025 Following her donation, Rain tweeted, 'call it dirty money, but i still donated $1m more than you did 🤷♀️ thank you for the opportunity #TeamWater.' The Miami-based content creator has claimed to have earned over $80 million from OnlyFans since joining in July 2023. She has also shared that she purchased a private jet, seven cars, and a $2.7 million farmhouse from her earnings. Rain's donation places her among the top contributors on the TeamWater leaderboard, joining other major donors such as Citadel CEO Ken Griffin ($2.25 million), ($2 million), and Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke ($1.5 million). YouTube and Google also contributed $2 million in matching funds. In a statement via her representatives, Rain said, 'Access to clean water is something many of us take for granted… I wanted to do something that would have a real and immediate impact.' She emphasized that all contributions, large or small, can make a difference.