Bhopal, India – 17 June 2025: In a move aimed at enhancing convenience for visa applicants in non-metro regions, VFS Global has officially inaugurated its newest UK Premium Application Centre at the luxurious Taj Lakefront in Bhopal. This marks the company’s 13th premium visa centre outside of India’s major metropolitan areas, reinforcing its commitment to decentralising visa services and improving accessibility.
The launch comes at a pivotal time as outbound travel from India continues to grow, particularly from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. By extending their footprint to Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, VFS Global enables residents to apply for their UK visas locally, avoiding the need to travel to larger cities like Delhi or Mumbai.
“Our commitment has always been to deliver efficient, seamless service to our customers,” said Yummi Talwar, Chief Operating Officer, South Asia, VFS Global. “The opening of this centre is part of our strategic vision to offer enhanced value-added services in convenient locations, thereby improving the overall customer journey.”
Premium Services Catered to Customer Needs
The Bhopal facility will offer a comprehensive suite of value-added services tailored to different levels of convenience and personalization. Applicants can choose between two exclusive packages:
- Comfort Plus: Offers access to a Premium Lounge, doorstep delivery of passports, real-time SMS updates, and personalised assistance with uploading application documents.
- Convenience Plus: Includes all Comfort Plus services, with added benefits such as Flexi Appointments—allowing applicants to schedule visits at their preferred time—and the Keep My Passport service, which permits applicants to retain their passports during the visa processing period.
These packages are designed to cater to diverse traveler needs, whether applying for tourism, business, academic, or family visas.
Expanding the Reach in Non-Metro India
The Bhopal centre is the latest addition to a growing list of VFS Global UK Premium Application Centres in India’s smaller cities. Other centres are operational at:
- Amritsar, Guwahati, Indore, Nagpur, and Noida (Radisson Blu Hotels)
- Calicut (The Gateway Hotel)
- Coimbatore (VFS Global Office)
- Thane (Ibis Hotel)
- Mangalore (Hotel Vivanta)
- Vishakhapatnam (Hotel Green Park)
- Karnal (The Leela Grand Hotel)
- Surat (Park Inn)
This strategic expansion plays a crucial role in enabling smoother, more localised visa processing for millions of Indians residing outside of metro hubs. According to government tourism statistics, over 770,000 Indian nationals visited the UK in 2024, and the number is projected to grow in 2025 with enhanced accessibility to visa services.
User-Friendly Digital Booking and Support
Appointments for the new Bhopal centre can be booked online via the official VFS Global website: www.vfsglobal.com. The platform allows applicants to choose their preferred service package, date, and time slot—eliminating long queues and uncertainty associated with traditional visa processes.
VFS Global has also incorporated AI-enhanced services and document verification tools to ensure higher efficiency and faster turnaround times, aligning with the global push for digitised government services.
About VFS Global
Headquartered in Zurich and Dubai, VFS Global is the world’s leading outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions. Since its inception in 2001, the company has processed over 311 million applications through its extensive global network.
With a presence in 158 countries and over 3,600 application centres, the company provides end-to-end services including visa, passport, and consular processing for 69 client governments. VFS Global is also spearheading the ethical integration of new technologies like Generative AI for secure, streamlined government services.
The company is majority owned by investment funds managed by Blackstone Inc., alongside Kuoni and Hugentobler Foundation based in Switzerland.
Why This Matters for Tourism and the UK-India Travel Corridor
The launch of the Bhopal centre comes at a time of renewed focus on India–UK bilateral travel and trade relations, especially following recent government discussions aimed at boosting tourism, education, and business mobilitybetween the two nations. The UK remains one of the top destinations for Indian travelers, driven by robust VFR (visiting friends and relatives), academic pursuits, and tourism segments.
As India’s middle class continues to grow, so does the demand for streamlined visa solutions. The VFS Global centre in Bhopal is a significant step toward bridging the service gap for central Indian regions, supporting both individual mobility and international tourism growth.
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