VFS: Connect - Issue 04/2019

BEST WISHES FOR 2020

Leader Speak - Bill Maynard, Chief Technology Officer, VFS Global VFS Global an official ticket reselling partner of Expo 2020, Dubai Joint Visa Application Centre launched in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Customer experience takes centre stage at iConnect 2019

For restricted circulation to governments and diplomatic missions only

Issue 04/2019

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Message from CEO The sixth iConnect focussed on further enhancement of the customer journey and experience and how technology can support this goal.

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Dear Readers, Happy New Year! I do hope the year has started well for you.

The closing months of 2019 have been very positive for us at VFS Global with several important developments. We recently hosted our annual innovation workshop, iConnect, in Dubai, which was very well attended. It was an engaging and inspiring workshop with several guest speakers, a panel discussion and innovative product demonstrations, with the agenda focussed on further enhancement of the customer journey and experience and how technology can support this goal.

I am pleased to say that we have further expanded our operations in the past quarter with new services across several countries and have been honoured to welcome our 63rd client government – Belarus – for whom we have commenced visa service operations in India and the UAE. This issue also features the launch of our latest flagship Visa Application Centre in Abu Dhabi, UAE, which sets a new benchmark in terms of the comfort and convenience it offers visa applicants.

VFS Global was felicitated at the Arabian Travel Awards 2019 in Dubai, UAE, as the ‘Best Visa Outsourcing Company’ – an honour for which we are deeply grateful to all our client governments for their continued support and trust and to our staff for their dedicated service and professionalism.

As always, I hope you enjoy reading this issue. I would love to hear your feedback and comments on communications@vfsglobal.com.

Zubin Karkaria

CEO - VFS Global Group

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Content 06

Customer experience takes centre stage at iConnect 2019

New Contracts and Client Wins

18 Tourist Visa services for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia rolled out in 30 countries 19 VFS Global an official ticket reselling partner of Expo 2020, Dubai 20 Belarus visa services brought to India and the UAE 20 The inner beauty of Belarus

Leader Speak 12 Bill Maynard, Chief Technology Officer, VFS Global

About VFS Global 15 Frank Herzog joins VFS Global as Chief Financial Officer 16 VFS Global backs the Saudization initiative in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 17 VFS Global launches Social Media Command Centre in Mumbai, India

New Visa Application Centres Launched 23 Joint Visa Application Centre launched in Abu Dhabi, UAE 24 Lithuania visa services now in Russia, India and the US 26 Ireland Visa Application Centre opens in Minsk, Belarus 27 Iceland visa services now offered in India 27 The Italian Embassy launches Casa Italia in Kolkata, India 28 Mongolia visa centre commences operations in Busan, South Korea 29 Denmark Visa Application Centre launched in Oman 30 Doha, Qatar gets a Ukraine Visa Application Centre 31 France Visa Application Centre launched in Côte d’Ivoire

Corporate Social Responsibility 45 Serving the homeless in South China 45 46 46 46 47 47 47

International Homeless Animals Day A step towards a sustainable future ‘Pro Bono’ promotions The Backpacks initiative Recycling for good Running for Solidarity Book donation drive in China

Services & Solutions 35 Philippines ePassport Renewal Centre launched in Dubai 36 EmergELVIS – emergency LIDPro to handle sudden application peaks 36 VFS Global brings France Mobile Biometric Centre to Liberia 37 Biometric visa services set up for Formula 1 in the UK

Guest Visits

Awards & Events Identity & Citizen Services

33 New National Identification Number Enrolment Centre for Nigerians launched in Ottawa, Canada

39 VFS Global named ‘Best Visa Outsourcing Company’ at the Arabian Travel Awards 2019 39 VFS Global showcases services at event in Madinah 40 VFS Global and Embassy of Sweden in Saudi Arabia participate in A Step Ahead Career Fair 41 VFS Global supports Czech Festival in Moscow 41 UKVI felicitates VFS Global’s Change Manager for 15 years of association

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Customer experience takes centre stage at iConnect 2019 127 delegates from 51 governments attended annual workshop for governments held in Dubai

Mr Robin Uyterlinde, Head of Visa and Travel Document Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands, in talks with Mr Chris Dix, Head of Business Development, VFS Global

Customer experience has been the focus of most consumer-facing industries today, including visa and public-facing governments services, with convenience, comfort and high quality of service expected at every step of the customer journey, online or offline.

With this mind, the theme of VFS Global’s annual workshop for client governments ‘iConnect 2019’ was ‘Customer Journey 2020’. At the workshop, VFS Global explored new initiatives to further enhance customer experience at every touchpoint, the ‘customer’ in this context being both the governments as well as visa applicants.

The workshop showcased solutions specially designed to make the customer experience at the front-line Visa Application Centres and websites,

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and during offline interactions with customers, more enhanced, intuitive and comfortable.

The workshop was well attended by 127 delegates representing 51 governments. The objective of the conference was to explore innovations, and discuss new and old concepts in the visa space, besides exhibiting the most recent solutions VFS Global has developed for customers.

Governments that VFS Global works with across the world, as well as in-house innovators, addressed the workshop to share their success stories on methods used to improve customer experience, and discuss possible solutions for the bottlenecks still faced in this area of operations.

Read on for a quick glimpse on the discussions through the day.

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Highlights of iConnect 2019 A sneak peek into Expo 2020, Dubai

Mr Sanjive Khosla, Chief Commercial Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, giving the attendees a sneak peek into what to expect next year

Keynote speaker Mr Sanjive Khosla, Chief Commercial Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, gave the attendees an insight into what visitors can expect at ‘The World’s Greatest Show’, scheduled to start on 20 October 2020 in Dubai, UAE. VFS Global was recently named an official ticketing partner for the event in GCC, India, Germany, the UK, Russia and China, with Visa Application Centres in these countries being the sales points for the tickets.

Benefits of consular services outsourcing for The Netherlands Mr Robin Uyterlinde, Head of Visa and Travel Document Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands, spoke about the advantages of outsourcing Passport and Consular services for governments as well as citizens, as part of a discussion session with Mr Chris Dix, Head of Business Development, VFS Global.

Mr Uyterlinde ratified this notion based on the benefits accrued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands, who outsourced their Passport service to VFS Global in 2016.

He revealed that outsourcing the services has been greatly satisfactory to Dutch nationals living abroad who were otherwise unhappy with the distance they needed to travel for passport services. VFS Global currently runs five centres for The Netherlands, with a sixth in the pipeline for Birmingham, UK in 2020.

Expert view: Radical changes in technology Among the slew of experts, VFS Global had invited Mr David Rowan, Founding Editor-inchief, Wired UK, to share insights on some radical changes technology is bringing into the

lives of people, and some of the technological applications geared for the future. Quoting Apple founder Steve Jobs, Mr Rowan said that the need of the hour is to pre-empt customer needs and build the technology for it.

He opined that machine learning is the future, and that every industry needs to build a culture where everyone knows how to listen, be agile and allow new ideas and solutions in.

Governments are increasingly looking to transform their public-facing services to improve quality, accessibility and customer experience. Leveraging on robust experience in the visa application processing domain and an extensive global network, VFS Global provides governments with holistic administrative solutions for the processing of Passport applications of efficient consular services for nationals living abroad. and the provision of efficient consular services.

Key benefits of outsourcing passport and consular services: Reduced costs (staff premises, on-site security measures, etc.)

Enhanced security for consular staff Reduced crowding at Consulates/Embassies Strict verifiable process to ensure accuracy of biometric data Timely response and effective management of peak season activities Shorter distance for nationals living abroad to apply for a new passport 07

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Panel discussion: ‘Customer experience’ challenges in visa application

L-R: Mr Robin Uyterlinde, Head of Visa and Travel Document Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands; Mr Andrew Kefford, First Assistant Secretary, Visa Delivery Transformation Division, Department of Home Affairs, Australia; Ms Jacquelyn Facette, Director of International Support at Canada’s department of Immigration; Dr Martin Smolek, Deputy Minister - Consular and Legal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Czech Republic and Mr Peter Brun, Chief Communications Officer, VFS Global

The panel discussion as one of the key sessions featured representatives from Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, and The Netherlands, and focused on challenges of the future customer experience in the visa application process. They were unanimous in their opinion that customers for visa services have the same expectation as they do from the retail industry – great service and convenience.

Citing the challenges faced in this respect by Schengen countries due to the harmonised visa system, Dr Martin Smolek, Deputy Minister Consular and Legal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Czech Republic stated that while resource management in the face of high demand was often a deterrent, there was room for improvement in customer experience where manual applications were still preferred.

Mr Robin Uyterlinde, Head of Visa and Travel Document Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands added that the biggest difference between retail and visa services, posing a key challenge, is that visa officers sometimes have to say ‘no’.

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Ms Jacquelyn Facette, Director of International Support at Canada’s department of Immigration, noted that what customers today want are digital applications so they know what to expect when they are applying for a visa and movement to the online platform allows for more information sharing.

Mr Andrew Kefford, First Assistant Secretary, Visa Delivery Transformation Division, Department of Home Affairs, Australia shared a similar viewpoint while stating that the industry needs to see how a fully digitised process works.

Speaking on the pressure faced from social media, the panel agreed that the challenge faced in the industry is how to improve turnaround times, and effectively navigate issues of limited time and resources.

Mr Peter Brun, Chief Communications Officer, VFS Global concluded the panel discussion by asking each panellist what they thought the future of visa services was. They all agreed it was movement to digital, be it digital signboards and eVisas or increased AI information sharing. Auto-populating of form details and pre-empting the customers’ needs through AI was another avenue, the panel felt, should be strongly considered.

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VFS Global’s Customer First vision and innovations

Mr Belson Coutinho, Chief Marketing Officer, VFS Global introducing the ‘Customer First’ initiative

The event also showcased the services VFS Global have put in place in the last one year, as well as the innovative solutions being worked on to offer governments. Mr Belson Coutinho, Chief Marketing Officer, VFS Global introduced the organisation’s Customer First vision, highlighting the increased focus the organisation will place on customer experience through various measures.

This included adding Customer Experience Managers at Visa Application Centres, setting up a Social Media Command Centre for 24x7 customer listening and responding, departmental Customer Care Champions and peak season readiness.

Mr Bill Maynard, Chief Technology Officer, VFS Global and Nitin Shetty, Head of Innovation Lab, VFS Global, gave the attendees a peek into some of the innovations designed by the Innovation Lab to further improve and ease the visa application process. These innovations included compact mobile biometric kits, advanced iris scan technology and facial biometrics.

Mr Benjamin Boesch, Chief Digital Officer, VFS Global addressed the attendees to highlight the advantages of Machine Learning in visa application, including pre-populating of data, advantageous for both travellers and governments by reducing time and manpower, using a live demo of the Thailand eVOA application process.

He showcased another innovation depicting how machine learning can be leveraged to better serve the decision-making process for governments.

Mr Georgios Blandos, Head of Product Innovation and Business Transformation, VFS Global gave a brief overview on the new websites designed by VFS Global to make the digital journey intuitive and responsive, with easy navigation, to get information and appointments in an easier and more seamless manner for customers.

Mr Zubin Karkaria, Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global Group, concluded the workshop with a vote of thanks to the attendees and speakers for an idea exchange that has further cemented the decision to focus on customer experience improvement and development of digital solutions.

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Glimpses of iConnect 2019

Mr Zubin Karkaria, Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global Group, welcoming the attendees

Mr David Rowan, Founding Editor-in-chief,Wired UK

Ms Jacquelyn Facette, Director - International Network, IRCC (second from left); Ms Nadine Bennett, Assistant DirectorInternational Network, IRCC (third from left) and Ms Jacynthe Lachance, Assistant Director - VAC Support Unit, International Network, IRCC (left)

H.E. Mr Frank Hans Dannenberg, Ambassador, Embassy of Dominican Republic in India (centre) and H.E. Mr Archil Dzuliashvili, Ambassador, Embassy of Georgia in India (second from left)

Attendees at iConnect 2019

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VFS Global’s Social Media Command Centre showcased at iConnect

Mr Diakalidia Konate, Director General of ONECI, Ivory Coast (centre) and Mr N’djakalia Ouattara, Chief of cabinet of ONECI, Ivory Coast (right)

Guests at the gala dinner

Ms Elen McGuinness, Head of Supplier Services, UK Visas and Citizenship (second from right); Mr Pete Lindsay, Head of Future Supplier Services within Customer and Commercial Services, UKVI (second from left); Mr Oliver Ansell, Project Manager - Customer and Innovation, Gulf, Pakistan and Iran (MENACAPT), UKVI (left) and Ms Sharon Houghton, Supplier Continuity and Oversight/NGOV, Visa and Citizenship, UKVI (third from left)

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Leader Speak I am really focused on automation -Bill Maynard, Chief Technology Officer, VFS Global

Technological advancement to pre-empt and effectively meet the customers’ demands has become the main focus of nearly every customerfacing organisation, and VFS Global is no different.

While tech-based solutions for both customers and clients has always been the cornerstone for the organisation, with path breaking solutions such as mobile biometrics and LIDProTM , VFS Global has taken its efforts one step further.

In July 2019, Bill Maynard was appointed as VFS Global’s Chief Technology Officer, in line with the company’s strategic objective of strengthening technology development and application to better support its growth agenda and to enhance its eCommerce capabilities. Since then, Bill has been working towards building an agile, high-performing and sustainable enterprise architecture.

I will happily leverage ideas from anywhere to help improve our customer and employee experience.

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What is your focus going to be in 2020 as far as technology is concerned?

There are a couple of key focus areas for me in terms of functionality. Certainly, appointment and document management are key focus areas as these are fundamental to how we serve our customers. But underlying that, I have a keen interest in simplifying our technology and leveraging things that allow us to deliver at velocity. I’ll be really focused on automation and how best to drive that into how we operate.

Are there any new innovations in the pipeline that you can tell us about?

I am very excited about the work that Benjamin Boesch, our Chief Digital Officer, and his team are bringing forward. Being new to the company, I think it’s great that we are pushing the envelope in an effort to give customers a seamless journey. As for me, I plan to focus solely on how we can innovate our platforms and make them flexible and even more secure for these brilliant innovations to scale with our customers.

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What kind of solutions do you think are the need of the hour for an industry like visa services?

I think anything that reduces the number of times data has to be input is the need of the hour; intelligent scanning and automated data extraction are really at a peak of interest and capability at this point. Companies who can really enable this in a meaningful way will stand out. Additionally, and perhaps almost obviously, solutions that simplify and secure biometric data have really been making the industry rethink how we operate.

What are the trends in technology that you foresee picking up in the next five years?

I believe that technology focusing on identity and reputation is going to be in the spotlight more and more in the future. Realising that consumers are headed toward being more discerning with their personal data, companies that enable them to maintain ownership of the data and even gain an edge.

Are there any technology solutions currently out there that you feel could be emulated for the visa service business?

I will happily leverage ideas from anywhere to help improve our customer and employee experience. I’m consistently impressed with how Delta Airlines has changed the dynamic of the travel experience and really simplified not only booking but also making the airport experience as frictionless as possible.

Another impressive case study is how Starbucks moves customers from the moment of desire to the point of purchase by really connecting preferences and activities with the right product at the right time. In the end it’s not as much about a technical solution as it is the application of that solution to really understand the customer and deliver what they need.

What role does technology play in customer-facing industries today, considering how aware consumers now are?

I truly believe that having solid technology is table stakes today. So while I think we need to ensure we have great technology, the key is great customer engagement and support end to end.

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About VFS Global

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Frank Herzog joins VFS Global as Chief Financial Officer

To lead overall Finance function and to serve as an Executive Board Member Frank Herzog joined VFS Global as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) on 1 October 2019, to lead the Finance, M&A, Legal, Internal Audit and Procurement functions of VFS Global. Frank also serves as a member of the Executive Board of the company and contributes to the overall strategic direction of VFS Global. He reports to Zubin Karkaria, Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global.

Frank joins VFS Global with 25 years of broad experience in leadership roles in Finance, Banking and general management.

Most recently, Frank worked from 2012 to 2018 for the KION Group, a Germany based global leader in industrial trucks, related services and supply chain solutions with EUR 8 billion in revenues. His last assignment was as CFO of Dematic, a KION Group company for supply chain automation with EUR 2 billion in revenues. Prior to his role at Dematic, Frank worked for the KION Group as its Head of Corporate Finance with responsibility for Investor Relations, Capital Markets, Treasury, Financing and M&A. Earlier in his career Frank worked for 18 years as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs, Rothschild and Citigroup.

Frank, a German national, has a broad international background from working and living for many years in Germany, the UK and the US. He received a graduate degree in Business and Economics from WHU Koblenz in Germany and also an MBA from the University of Texas, USA.

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VFS Global backs the Saudization initiative in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Runs Saudization initiative that surpasses 50%; Aims to exceed 60% by 2020

The tourism industry shows promising potential for the leadership’s vision and we are pleased with the Saudization initiative VFS Global has incorporated in its organisational framework; this is playing a part in boosting economic opportunity and delivering rewarding opportunities for the future of our students and also nation’s human capital.

- Dr Adeeb A. Al-Khaliel, Vice – Rector Assistant for Industrial and Business Relation, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

In the last quarter of 2019, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Labor and Social Development passed a new policy called ‘Saudization’, to encourage companies and enterprises in the region to employ more Saudi nationals.

Building on this initiative, which has achieved 51% and a Platinum status under the Saudi Nitaqat programme since being launched across Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar in 2018, VFS Global is encouraging Saudi students to opt for career paths within the organisation as it eyes exceeding 60% Saudization by 2020.

To date, the company’s efforts have been devoted to hiring over 60 qualified Saudi national interns. The company is currently working on internship agreements with Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University and Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University. VFS Global’s Saudization internship programme delivers opportunities across all departments within the organisation, with Operations proving to be the most in-demand department interns seek to join.

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The programme begins with identifying interns’ competencies and encouraging managers to work on enhancing their skill set. Interns are then welcomed to VFS Global with an onboarding and induction session. Just like any other employee, they are provided with a set job role and responsibilities, and the tools needed to perform daily tasks. By the end of the training, they receive a report of their achievements and developments.

With a diverse workforce that currently employs over 250 Saudi employees, VFS Global believes promoting the potential of tourism-based futures will strengthen the company’s operations and bolster the nation’s tourism and leisure objectives.

VFS Global currently operates 77 Visa Application Centres across nine cities in the Kingdom.

In addition to the internship programme, VFS Global has also launched a management trainee programme for existing Saudi nationals to build on mid-level manager capabilities and to provide rapid development career pathways.

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VFS Global launches Social Media Command Centre in Mumbai, India

The core mantra of the new social media strategy is to Listen, Engage and Respond to customers 24x7

VFS Global has launched a best-in-class listening and response management platform, along with quality resources and processes, to run a 24x7 Social Media Command Centre in Mumbai, India. Powered by an Omni channel platform called One Direct service cloud for response management and Brandwatch for social listening and monitoring of customer sentiments, the centre will be able to listen to what customers are talking about the brand, product and services across all digital and social channels and provide an appropriate response or resolution to address their queries, comments and complaints.

With this new platform, VFS Global is now able to capture customer sentiments from over 85 platforms globally, covering 31 foreign languages, including Mandarin, Spanish, Cantonese, Russian, French, Spanish, Arabic, Urdu, Hebrew, German, Devnagari, Portuguese and Dutch.

The platform also has the capability to categorise every feedback and comment received from any platforms based on priority and urgency as per the keywords. This further enhances VFS Global’s listening, engagement and response strategy on social media and key digital platforms.

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New Contracts and Client Wins

Tourist Visa services for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia rolled out in 30 countries VFS TasHeel has launched tourist visa services for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at its centres across 30 countries worldwide. According to Saudi Arabia’s new visa policy, nationals of UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan, Indonesia, Algeria, Bahrain, Cameroon, Chad, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Maldives, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Tajikistan can apply for a tourist visa. The visa process is open to applicants from all nationalities, except 49 nationals who are eligible for a visa on arrival or e-visa.

Acting as a trusted service provider between visa applicants and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, VFS TasHeel’s visa

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services centres, spanning Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe, provide full array of visa services including, dissemination of accurate visa information, application guidance, fee management, identity management with biometrics enrollment and application submission for all available visa categories. Biometric enrollment includes highly secure collection of fingerprints, facial image and biographic details, such as passport information.

On 27 September, VFS TasHeel started serving customers under the new type of Tourist Visa in most of its countries of operations.

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VFS Global an official ticket reselling partner of Expo 2020, Dubai

Tickets for the Expo will be available in the GCC, India, China, Russia, UK and Germany

Mr Sanjive Khosla, Chief Commercial Officer – Commercial, Expo 2020 Dubai (left) and Mr Zubin Karkaria, CEO, VFS Global Group (right) signing the contract in Dubai, UAE

VFS Global has been named an official ticket reselling partner for the Expo 2020, being held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 20 October 2020 till 10 April 2021. Mr Sanjive Khosla, Chief Commercial Officer – Commercial, Expo 2020 Dubai and Mr Zubin Karkaria, CEO, VFS Global Group signed the contract on 20 October 2019 in Dubai.

Last year, VFS Global partnered with the Embassy of Russia in Berlin and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation for the FIFA World Cup 2018, offering extra convenience to football fans by providing access to more than 165 of its Visa Application Centres across the globe as FAN IDs distribution points.

Under the contract, visitors to the Expo will be able to purchase curated packages for the event from VFS Global Visa Application Centres in the GCC, India, China, Russia, UK and Germany. B2B ticket sales have already commenced, while B2C sales, online and offline, start in March 2020.

In countries including China, Great Britain, Turkey, Switzerland, Poland, India, Latvia, France, Germany, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and many others; Fans had the option of selecting their nearest most convenient Visa Application Centre for delivery of their FAN IDs.

VFS Global will be offering a range of specially curated packages for the Expo, designed based on theme, event or date preferences, and will even offer single or three-day tickets.

A 173-day event, the Expo 2020 commences in October 2020, and is set to be the centre stage for trade, arts and knowledge.

FAN IDs were personalised spectator cards privided to FIFA attendees, which provided fast and convenient access to the stadium for all spectators, as well as visa-free entry into Russia.

It also entitled spectators to free travel on special trains connecting the host cities and on public transportation of the host cities on match days.

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Belarus visa services brought to India and the UAE

Launched centres in five cities across India and two locations in the UAE VFS Global has commenced Belarus visa services for the residents of India through centres in five cities - Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata, and the UAE in the Emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

This is the first time the Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs has outsourced their visa services. The centres

accept applications for Tourist, Business, and Private Visit visas across all these locations.

Residents of the UAE can also apply for their visas from the comfort of the Premium Lounge, which provides end-to-end personalised service throughout the process.

The inner beauty of Belarus Situated in the geographical centre of Europe, the large, modern country of Belarus is one filled with rich history and warm people. Visitors to Belarus are continually stunned by how green, clean and

safe the country is, making it an ideal getaway. The nation is filled with culture, outdoor activities, cuisine and historical sites, enough to keep every visitor coming back for more.

Nesvizh Castle, Belarus

History Belarus is among the youngest nations, having gained its independence in 1991. Its heritage, though, is well-preserved and open to visitors.

Belarus is home to dozens of castles, palaces and fortified churches have been built all over the country, including the Nesvizh Castle which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated only two hours from the city of Minsk.

It’s not just castles on the prestigious heritage list.

The longest street in Belarus is Independence Avenue in Minsk, and through the years, it has grown not just in length and width, but also had its name changed 14 times. The street is one of

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the last major neoclassical ensembles in the world architecture and one of the longest streets in Europe, making it a candidate for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Belarus has also been the ground for some of the greatest wars in the global history. Today visitors can see places of famous battles and great tragedies of the past, honour the memory of the fallen of many nations, and participate in historical festivals and recreation projects. For history buffs, Belarus has even developed interesting historical routes dedicated to the major wars and famous battles.

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Art & Culture Belarus has a rich cultural heritage, especially in fine arts. Diverse in styles and directions, Belarus is home to four major art museums housing significant collections. Music is another big passion of the Belarusian people, with most towns having theatres, museums and art galleries. Throughout the year, one can visit the festivals of various musical directions, with the “Belarusian musical autumn”, “Minsk spring” and “Golden hit” being some of the most popular ones.

Probably the biggest indication of the importance of art and culture in Belarus is the fact that the main festival in the country is the International Festival of Arts, which annually hosts artists from all over the world.

Even when it comes to religion, Belarus is a melting pot. Multi-faith people co-exist, a fact that is reflected in a whole range of ancient temples and cathedrals situated on the territory of Belarus.

The great outdoors

Natural Reserve Krasny Bor, Belarus

The Belarus landscape is a major source of pride for the Belarusian people and there are five renowned national parks across the country. One of these – Belovezhskaya Pushcha - has been recognised as World Heritage Site by UNESCO. A haven for ecotourists, famous national parks and reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, natural monuments and picturesque places are abundant in the country. For one, Belarus is home to some of Europe’s biggest and deepest lakes that were left by ancient glaciers.

There are four national parks and two reserves in Belarus, offering breath-taking landscapes, exciting

Windmill, Minsk, Belarus

safari trips and beautiful glacier lakes. In fact, 40 per cent of Belarus is made up of forests, symbolised by the green strip in the Belarusian flag.

Belarus is a great destination for outdoor lovers, with a plenty of opportunities to experience an adventure in nature. One can go hiking, biking or horse riding along an eco-route, order a mini-tour on a steamboat or a boat, take part in an eco-safari watching wild animals in their natural habitat, or simply contemplate the surrounding natural beauty in silence. The capital city of Minsk alone is home to the third largest botanical garden in the world.

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New Visa Application Centres Launched

Key features

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Platinum and Premium Lounge

SMS notifications

Doorstep delivery of passports

Online tracking of application

Digital notice boards

Extended operating hours

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Joint Visa Application Centre launched in Abu Dhabi, UAE Visa services for 28 countries offered under one roof

Representatives of the client governments inaugurating the Visa Application Centre

On 13 October 2019, VFS Global officially inaugurated its new Joint Visa Application Centre in the UAE capital, in the presence of officials from the respective Governments and Embassies served. The new centre is dedicated to the memory of the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Former Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Founding Father of the UAE. Made of steel with a bronze layer and on a wooden base, created by Indian artist Arzan Khambatta, a magnificent 7-foot-tall statue was also unveiled and established at the centre during the official inauguration ceremony.

From this centre, applicants can apply for visas to Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland,

Italy, Latvia, Malaysia, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Turkey, UK and Ukraine.

The centre is one of only a handful in the world to also offer a Platinum Lounge service for end-toend personalised service, including chauffeur pick and drop to the centre. The service is available for eight missions.

The Abu Dhabi centre accounted for over 80,000 visa applications in 2018. Between January and June of 2019, the Abu Dhabi centre processed over 65,800 visa applications, which is a significant growth of 13% in comparison to the applications processed during the same period in 2018. In 2018, globally, VFS Global processed 26.7 million applications.

Emiratis and others living in Abu Dhabi have a strong desire for travel abroad, which is illustrated through the sheer volume of visa applications processed by VFS Global in the Emirate over recent years. The launch of the new centre in the capital will play a vital role in the expansion of the city while paying homage to the gracious deeds and visions outlined by the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Abu Dhabi is thrilled to welcome the seamless and automated VAC experience that this centre will deliver to travellers from Abu Dhabi.

- Dr. Ahmed Al Banna, Ambassador of the UAE to India

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Lithuania visa services now in Russia, India and the US VFS Global to now offer Lithuania visa services in 71 countries

VFS Global has been serving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania since 2013, with visa operations in eight countries. On 10 June 2019, the contract was extended, mandating VFS Global to serve customers in 71 countries in all, owing to Lithuania’s growing popularity among travellers globally. Under this new contract, centres have been rolled out in Russia, India and the US in the past few months.

A Lithuania Visa application centre in Kaliningrad was formally inaugurated by Mr Olegas Skinderskis, Consul General of the Republic of Lithuania in

Kaliningrad, Russia and Mr Rimgaudas Losys, Deputy Director, Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania on 1 August 2019.

The centre in Kaliningrad is one of 18 VFS Global centres to provide Lithuania visa services across Russia. The other centres are located in Moscow, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Krasnodar, Samara, Nizhniy Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Ufa, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Perm, Saratov, Smolensk and Sovetsk.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania has signed a global contract with the VFS Global on 10th July 2019. As per the contract a lot of new Visa Application Centres will be opened globally. I would like to thank VFS Global for the very effective cooperation during many years. We are fully satisfied with the service level provided by the VFS Global.

Mr Olegas Skinderskis, Consul General of the Republic of Lithuania in Kaliningrad, Russia (left) and Mr Rimgaudas Losys, Deputy Director, Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania (centre) inaugurating the centre in Kaliningrad

- Mr Olegas Skinderskis, Consul General of the Republic of Lithuania in Kaliningrad, Russia

The newly opened Visa Centres in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru will facilitate the process by bringing the service closer to customer, contribute to building stronger people-to-people contacts, as well as strengthening bilateral relations between Lithuania and India through tourism, trade and culture. We are looking forward to productive cooperation between the Embassy of Lithuania and VFS Global.

- H.E. Mr Julius Pranevičius, Ambassador of Lithuania to India H.E. Mr Julius Pranevičius, Ambassador of Lithuania to India (left); Mr Pranav Sinha, Regional Head – West & South India, Maldives and Sri Lanka, VFS Global (centre) and Mr Merzi Screwvala, Head of Operations - West India, VFS Global (right) at the launch of the centre in Mumbai

In India, Lithuania visa services were launched in New Delhi and Mumbai. H.E. Mr Julius Pranevičius, Ambassador of Lithuania to India and Mr Giedrius 24

Kazakevičius, Director of the Consular Department of the Lithuania Ministry of Foreign Affairs formally inaugurated the new Lithuania Visa Application Centre in the capital on 25 September 2019. This was shortly followed by a launch of the Mumbai centre on 7 October 2019.

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Mr Mantvydas Bekešius, Consul General of the Consulate General of the Republic of Lithuania in Chicago (centre); Mr Giedrius Kazakevičius - Head of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania (right) and Mr Bernard Vijaykumar, Regional Head – Americas, VFS Global (left), inaugurating the Lithuania Visa Application Centre in Chicago

This was closely followed by the launch of a centre in Chicago, USA on 15 October 2019

by Mr Mantvydas Bekešius, Consul General of the Consulate General of the Republic of Lithuania in Chicago. VFS Global further plans to open centres in Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, and San Francisco in the coming months.

In the months between January and August 2019 alone, centres across Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, P.R. China, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan processed about 150,000 visas to Lithuania.

We are very happy to start working with VFS Global in the United States and make the Schengen visa process more accessible to customers, and we are looking forward to embarking on this meaningful partnership, which will bring the United States and the EU closer together.

- Mr Mantvydas Bekešius, Consul General of the Consulate General of the Republic of Lithuania in Chicago

H.E. Mr Julius Pranevičius, Ambassador of Lithuania to India (centre); Mr Giedrius Kazakevičius, Director of the Consular Department of the Lithuania Ministry of Foreign Affairs (right) and Mr Alok Singhal, Regional Head- North & East India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Israel, Nepal and Palestine, VFS Global (left), inaugurating the centre in New Delhi, India

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Key features Premium Lounge

Internet kiosk

Prime Time service

Walk in without an appointment

Travel medical insurance

Video conferencing

Courier return & Courier assurance

Automated SMS updates and call back

Hold at Location

Form Filling Assistance

VFS Global’s association with Lithuania

Since

2013

Countries of Operation

13

Visa Application Centres

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Ireland Visa Application Centre opens in Minsk, Belarus On 1 August 2019, VFS Global commenced operations in Belarus for the Embassy of Ireland in Moscow, with an Ireland Visa Application Centre in Minsk. This marked the addition of the 12th client government for VFS Global in Belarus.

Key features Premium Lounge

Form Filling Assistance

Prime Time service

Automated SMS updates

Courier return

VFS Global’s association with Ireland

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Since

2004

Countries of Operation

22

Visa Application Centres

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Iceland visa services now offered in India

The Embassy of Iceland, New Delhi recently appointed VFS Global to process Iceland visa applications for Indian travellers. H.E. Mr Gudmundur Arni Stefansson, Ambassador, Embassy of Iceland and Mr Alok Singhal, Regional Head - North & East India, VFS Global signed the contract in New Delhi on 19 September 2019.

Prior to this, customers had to submit their applications through the Embassy of Denmark in New Delhi.

Key features H.E. Mr Gudmundur Arni Stefansson, Ambassador, Embassy of Iceland (left) and Mr Alok Singhal, Regional Head - North & East India, VFS Global (right) at the signing of the contract in New Delhi, India

VFS Global’s association with Iceland

Since

2013

Premium Lounge

Walk in without appointment

Translation service

Courier Assurance

Countries of Operation

13

Visa Application Centres

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The Italian Embassy launches Casa Italia in Kolkata, India

As an extension of VFS Global’s Italy visa services, this is the second Casa Italia to open in India VFS Global has joined hands with the Italian Embassy in Kolkata to launch ‘Casa Italia’, a specially designed pavilion to provide business travellers to Italy with the utmost comfort and convenience through the visa application process, in a lounge with an Italian look and feel.

Mr Damiano Francovigh, Consul General of Italy in Kolkata (third from right) at the launch of Casa Italia in Kolkata, India

Honourable Consul Mr Damiano Francovigh, Consul General of Italy in Kolkata, inaugurated Casa Italia in a formal ceremony in Kolkata on 13 September 2019. Casa Italia is a display of specially curated Italian brands, to promote the quality and innovation of ‘Made in Italy’ products among Indian travellers. This pavilion provides the ideal platform for renowned and upcoming Italian brands to showcase their products to visitors.

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Mongolia visa centre commences operations in Busan, South Korea

Chinzorig Yanjiv, Vice Consul, Consulate of Mongolia in Busan (second from left); Atul Lall, Regional head - Philippines, VFS Global (centre) and Eunhye Olivia Kim, Country head - South Korea, VFS Global (right) at the rollout of the new centre in Busan on 2 September 2019

VFS Global has rolled out its Visa Application Centre for Mongolia in Busan, South Korea, to better cater to customers in the region. Prior to this, travellers needed to visit the Consulate General of Mongolia in Busan to submit their applications.

Mongolia is the 62nd client government worldwide VFS Global serves for outsourced visa services.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia and VFS Global signed a contract on 5 July 2019, for the latter to provide Mongolia visa services to the residents of South Korea.

Mongolia is a fast growing destination for the region, with approximately 30,000 visitors expected to travel per year from Busan, South Korea.

Key features Internet Kiosk

Form Filling Assistance

Automated SMS updates

Prime Time

Courier return service

Courier Assurance

We are extremely grateful for the opportunity and faith the Government of Mongolia has placed in us with the outsourcing of their visa services. We look forward to bringing our best-in-class solutions to the residents of Busan, bringing the process closer to home for several applicants in South Korea.

- Mr Jiten Vyas, Regional Group COO, VFS Global

VFS Global’s association with Mongolia

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Since

2019

Countries of Operation

1

Visa Application Centres

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Denmark Visa Application Centre launched in Oman Mr Lars Balth Joensen, Consul – Royal Danish Embassy, Riyadh, KSA (right) and Mr Anwar Bin Ali Bin Sultan, Honorary Consul, Danish Honorary Consulate in Muscat, Oman (centre) at the launch of the centre in Oman

Key features Premium Lounge

Form Filling Assistance

Prime Time service

Automated SMS updates

Courier return

VFS Global rolled out a Denmark Visa Application Centre in Muscat, Oman on 15 October 2019. The centre was inaugurated by Mr Lars Balth Joensen, Consul – Royal Danish Embassy, Riyadh, KSA and Mr Anwar Bin Ali Bin Sultan, Honorary Consul, Danish Honorary Consulate in Muscat, Oman. The centre offers visa services for Denmark Short Stay Visa applicants.

Prior to this, residents of Oman had to travel to Abu Dhabi or Riyadh to apply for their Denmark visas.

The rollout of the Visa Application Centre is as per the contract won by VFS Global earlier this year, to provide Denmark visa services in Oman. Ms Maja Aakerlund Petersen, Head of Visa Section, Denmark Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mr Chris Dix, Head of Business Development, VFS Global signed the contract on 5 February 2019.

’The Visa Application Centre in Muscat will facilitate much easier visa application procedures for anyone living in Oman who needs a Schengen visa to visit Denmark. Previously, applicants had to travel to Danish missions elsewhere in the region to apply for a visa, which made travel to Denmark somewhat cumbersome, expensive and time consuming. More recently, we’ve noticed that it is not just Denmark that tourists are looking to explore. There has also been a steady increase in tourists interested in visiting Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland, which are other great travel destinations within easy reach of Denmark. It is our aim to provide a hassle-free service to applicants, and with the launch of the new Visa Application Centre in Muscat, this is making the travel aspirations of tourists and business travellers a reality.

- H.E. Mr. Ole E. Moesby, Ambassador of Denmark Embassy in Riyadh

VFS Global’s association with Denmark

Since

2008

Countries of Operation

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Visa Application Centres

118

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Doha, Qatar gets a Ukraine Visa Application Centre

Mr Vasyl Bodnar, Charge d’Affairs of Ukraine (second from left) inaugurating the centre in Doha, Qatar

Residents of Qatar now have the option of applying for visas to Ukraine at the new centre in Doha. The centre was launched on 9 July 2019 by Mr Vasyl Bodnar, Charge d’Affairs of Ukraine.

VFS Global has been associated with the government of Ukraine since 2017 and currently operates 57 visa centres across 34 countries.

Our collaboration is also part of a more global plan to promote Ukraine as an upcoming destination for tourism and business. The launch of the Visa Application Centre comes in line with the efforts of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to modernise existing visa procedures according to the best world standards and is a step forward in Ukraine’s goal to serve applicants more efficiently.

Key features

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Since

2018

Form Filling Assistance

Prime Time service

Automated SMS updates

Courier return

- Mr Vasyl Bodnar, Charge d’Affairs of Ukraine

VFS Global’s association with Ukraine

Premium Lounge

Countries of Operation

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Visa Application Centres

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France Visa Application Centre launched in Côte d’Ivoire Over 180,000 France visa applications in Abidjan since 2016

Key features

VFS Global has effectively catered to the growing demand from the country and has processed over 181,000 visas to France in Abidjan since 2016.

2019 till date, over 44,400 France visa applications have been processed in comparison to over 52,000 applications processed in 2018.

VFS Global’s association with France

Since

2004

SMS service facility to track your application

Apply for a visa from the comfort of your home or office with Visa At Your Doorstep

Optional Courier Service facility for delivery of passport at your doorstep

Dedicated contact centre and email support to answer queries and track application status

Mr Laurent Souquiere, General Consul (right) and Mr Hariprasad Viswanathan, Regional Head-Sub Saharan Africa, VFS Global (left), officially inaugurating the centre in Abidjan

Mr Laurent Souquiere, General Consul and Mr Hariprasad Viswanathan, Regional Head-Sub Saharan Africa, VFS Global inaugurated the new France Visa Application in the city of Abidjan in a formal ceremony held on 7 November 2019.

Personalised and dedicated service with the Premium Lounge facility

I welcome the opening of this new visa applications center for France, which offers a quality service in adapted premises to an ever increasing flow of requests. However, I wish to remind that the decision to issue visas remains a regal prerogative exercised by the French State.

- Mr Laurent Souquiere, Consul General of France in Abidjan

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Visa Application Centres

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Identity and Citizen Services

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New National Identification Number Enrolment Centre for Nigerians launched in Ottawa, Canada

18 National Identification Number Enrolment Centres are currently operational worldwide

H.E. Adeyinka Olatokunbo Asekun, Ambassador of Nigeria to Canada (second from right) at the inauguration of the National Identification Number Enrolment Centre for Nigerians launched in Ottawa, Canada, on 3 October 2019

VFS Global launched a National Identification Number Enrolment Centre in Ottawa, Canada on 3 October 2019. The centre enables Nigerians living in the country to easily enrol into the National Identity Database (NIDB). The service is in conjunction with the initiative by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

H.E. Mr Adeyinka Olatokunbo Asekun, Ambassador of Nigeria to Canada launched the centre in the presence of Mr Lanre Yusuf, NIMC and Mr Kariballa Dantata, Dantata Universal Services. It offers Nigerian diaspora enrolment services for their National Identification Number (NIN) and subsequent issuance of the General Multi-Purpose Card (GMPC).

A NIN is issued to Nigerian citizens living abroad, for processing of all forms of transactions that involve submitting an identity verification in Nigeria such as, driving licenses, voter cards and even opening a bank account.

Including the new centre in Canada, on behalf of NIMC, VFS Global and Dantata Universal Services currently operates 18 National Identification Number Enrolment Centres across the globe in Cameroon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, India, Ivory Coast, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and USA, with plans to launch more in the near future.

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Services and Solutions

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Philippines ePassport Renewal Centre launched in Dubai

This marks the first time The Republic of Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs has outsourced its passport renewal process for its Nationals living abroad In a bid to ease the passport renewal process for Philippine nationals living in the UAE, The Re-public of Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs and VFS Global have signed a contract to provide Passport Renewal services. Mr Brigido Dulay, Undersecretary Consular & Civilian Security Concerns and Mr Chris Dix, Head of Business Development, VFS Global signed the contract witnessed by Hon. Teodoro L. Locsin, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Philippines and Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO, South Asia, Americas, Middle East & North Africa, VFS Global and inaugurated the first such passport renewal centre in Dubai, UAE, in a formal ceremony on 21 November 2019.

Prior to this, Philippine residents in the UAE had to visit the Philippines Consulate in Dubai or the

Embassy in Abu Dhabi for passport renewal. With the opening of the new ePassport Renewal Centre, customers have an additional avenue to complete the process.

This is the first time The Republic of Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs has outsourced its pass-port renewal process. Under the contract signed, the rollout of the Dubai centre will be followed by similar centres in Abu Dhabi and The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2020. Outsourcing the process to VFS Global gives the government a trusted partner, with established infrastructure and expertise in the field.

The centre operates from 8 AM to 8 PM all days of the week, without the need for a prior appointment, providing customers Filipino citizens living in the UAE greater flexibility to process their applications.

Mr Brigido Dulay, Undersecretary Consular & Civilian Security Concerns and Mr Chris Dix, Head of Business Development, VFS Global signing the contract for the Philippines ePassport Renewal service

We would like to thank The Republic of Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs for their faith in us. Our Passport and Consular services have been growing from strength to strength, and we look forward to bringing those best in class services to the Philippines expats here in Dubai.

- Mr Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO, South Asia, Americas, Middle East & North Africa, VFS Global

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EmergELVIS – emergency LIDPro to handle sudden application peaks 14 Finland Visa Application Centres to be EmergELVIS ready An example of innovation, LIDPro (Location Independent Document Processing) was first developed in collaboration with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (MFA). LIDPro enables all stakeholders to work on a single platform with a single set of data processing visa applications independently from the point of submission of the application. This effectively utilises the whole visa processing capacity during seasonal fluctuations or sudden changes in demand.

Post the resounding success led by a digital solution such as ELVIS (as called by the MFA Finland)/ LIDPro, Finland has further developed EmergELVIS (stands for Emergency ELVIS). EmergELVIS is a new process designed to be used during an urgent need or seasonal rush at any of the VFS Global operated Finland Visa Application Centres across 14 countries. Through this set-up, Service Centre of Entry Permits based out of Finland will provide the required support for visa processing, without having to hire extra staffing at the local Mission or sending

temporary staff from the capital to help with the situation at hand.

The service is aimed at eliminating the need for limiting the number of applications accepted at the centres per day during seasonal rush and at avoiding extra costs by sending more staff to cover the sudden peak at the Mission.

The pilot rollout of the service was conducted in Rabat, Morocco. Based on the feedback and experience, the service concept can now be implemented in all Finland visa centres globally.

EmergELVIS can be implemented quickly to temporarily support local missions with location independent visa processing in the event of a sudden visa application overload (e.g. long absenteeism, unexpected increase in application volume or potential instability or natural disaster in the area). EmergELVIS will allow the visa applications of the selected mission to be temporarily processed (in whole or in part) at the Service Centre of Entry Permits in Finland.

VFS Global brings France Mobile Biometric Centre to Liberia Liberia is VFS Global’s 148th country of operation

Mr Hugues Nagy, Deputy Head of Mission (second from left); H.E. Terence Wills, Ambassador of France in Liberia (third from left); Mr Vivek Anandh, Regional Manager, VFS Global (left) at then launch of the Mobile Biometric Centre

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As part of the initiative to expand the operational presence in Africa on behalf of the Embassy of France, VFS Global launched visa services in its newest country of operation – Liberia, through a Mobile Biometric Centre. The France Mobile Biometric Centre commenced services on 30 September 2019, in the city of Monrovia, Liberia.

Applications are collected twice a month.

The Mobile Biometric Centre was officially inaugurated on 1 October 2019 by H.E. Terence Wills, Ambassador of France in Liberia and Mr

Hugues Nagy, Deputy Head of Mission in the presence of Mr Vivek Anandh, Regional Manager, VFS Global.

VFS Global has been a trusted partner for the Embassy of France for visa processing services since 2004. Prior to this launch, the company serviced visa processing requirements on behalf of the Client Government across 22 countries through an extensive network of 71 Visa Application Centres.

We are privileged to extend our association with the Embassy of France by extending our services to the new country of operation – Liberia. I am convinced that this new Mobile Biometric Centre will cater to the growing demand from travellers in Liberia to France.

- Mr Jiten Vyas, Regional Group COO, VFS Global

Biometric visa services set up for Formula 1 in the UK

VFS Global’s Russia Visa Application Centre staff in the UK provided mobile biometric services in Silverstone for the F1 team headed to Sochi, Russia for the races in September 2019. Experienced staff members carried portable biometric enrolment equipment to Silverstone, enabling particpants travelling for the race to submit the same at a convenient location across the Silverstone track, without having to visit a visa application centre. The

team enrolled biometrics for over 1,500 customers over three days in July 2019.

VFS Global has been offering mobile biometric services for F1 in Silverstone and F1 teams race factories across UK since 2015. The portable biometric kits are a popular service offered to Russia visa applicants for major events. In recent years, VFS Global has provided this solution for FIFA, UFC and Cirque du Soleil, among others.

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Awards and Events

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VFS Global named ‘Best Visa Outsourcing Company’ at the Arabian Travel Awards 2019

Mr Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO – South Asia, Middle East & North Africa, Americas, VFS Global (second from left) and Mr Atul Marwah, Regional Head–Middle East, VFS Global (right) accepting the accolade on behalf of the organisation from Mr Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, Chief Operating Officer, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) (third from left) at the Arabian Travel Awards 2019

The Arabian Travel Awards felicitated VFS Global as the Best Visa Outsourcing Company at the annual ceremony held in Dubai, UAE on 22 November 2019, with Mr Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, Chief Operating Officer, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) attending as the Chief Guest of the event.

The ceremony featured over 60 awards divided into four categories — Personal Awards, Business

Awards, Trending Awards and Partner Awards.

Apart from Best Visa Outsourcing Company, the team felictated the Best Business Hotel, Best Family Friendly Hotel, Best City Hotel, Best Green Hotel, Best Leisure Hotel, Best Destination Management Company, Best Hotel Apartments, Best B2B Travel Portal and Best Luxury Hotel, among others.

VFS Global showcases services at event in Madīnah

Her Britannic Majesty’s Consul General, Mr Seif Usher invited the VFS Global team in Madīnah to a reception and dinner held on 2 October 2019 to thank the Madīnah authorities for their support to British UK Hajj Pilgrims through the year. VFS

Global set up a kiosk at the event to showcase its services.

The event was attended by several high ranking officials, travel agents and businessmen from various sectors in Madīnah.

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VFS Global and Embassy of Sweden in Saudi Arabia participate in A Step Ahead Career Fair

The VFS Global team at the ‘A Step Ahead’ career fair in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

VFS Global co-participated with the Embassy of Sweden at the ‘A Step Ahead Career Fair 2019’, a three-day recruitment related conference held in the capital city of Riyadh from 1 to 3 October. The fair was endorsed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development and the Human Resources Development Fund.

By co-participating with the Embassy of Sweden, VFS Global showcased and promoted the exciting

career opportunities that exist in the visa services, travel and tourism sector. This is also in line with the company’s mission to achieve over 60% Saudization by 2020.

The fair welcomed over 36,000 women and over 90 entities from across the Kingdom.

The two-day event included a conference, company exhibitions, workshops, and one-to-one counselling sessions for attendees.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has an ambitious roadmap for enhancing the role that citizens play in the nation’s future progress. This is why initiatives like the ‘A Step Ahead Career Fair’ are so vital in empowering future talents to pursue careers that will help define and achieve the country’s vision for the years ahead.

We were delighted to meet many young and talented candidates who certainly will have promising careers ahead.

- H.E. Mr Niclas Trouvé, Ambassador of Sweden to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Yemen

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VFS Global supports Czech Festival in Moscow

In August, VFS Global supported the Czech Festival in Moscow, organised with the support of the Embassy of the Czech Republic and the Government of Moscow, as well as the Czech Centre, Czech Tourism and Czech Trade. Guests

of the festival were able to get acquainted with the dance and musical art of the country, its culinary traditions, take in theatrical performances, purchase goods from the Czech Republic, as well as participate in a diverse entertainment programme.

UKVI felicitates VFS Global’s Change Manager for 15 years of association Mr Melvin Duart Dsouza is the first-ever employee to be win the award

Teresa Hardy MBE, Regional Director, Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, Pakistan & Turkey (MENACAPT), UKVI and Oliver Ansell, Project Manager - Customer and Innovation, Gulf, Pakistan and Iran (MENACAPT), UKVI presented the award to Mr Melvin Duart Dsouza, Global Change Manager – UKVI for Middle East, Pakistan & South Asia, VFS Global in Dubai, UAE

Mr Melvin Duart Dsouza, Global Change Manager – UKVI for Middle East, Pakistan & South Asia, VFS Global was felicitated by UKVI for 15 years of effective work for the client government. Teresa Hardy MBE, Regional Director, Middle East, North Africa, Central

Asia, Pakistan & Turkey (MENACAPT), UKVI and Oliver Ansell, Project Manager - Customer and Innovation, Gulf, Pakistan and Iran (MENACAPT), UKVI presented the award on 28 July 2019. Mr Dsouza is the first employee of VFS Global to have won the accolade.

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Guest Visits

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H.E. Mr Sun Weidong, The Chinese Ambassador in India, visited the Chinese Visa Application Centre in New Delhi on 25 October 2019 for an inspection

K Sorayut Chasombat, Deputy Director General, Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visited the centre in Dubai on 1 October 2019, along with a delegation from the Department of Consular Affairs, Thailand

On 22 October 2019, Mr Alexandre Raugel, New Deputy Consul, Chief of Chancery, Consulate General of France, Bangalore and Ms Sarah Manet, Visa Officer, Consulate General of France, Bangalore, visited the centre in the city for a tour

Mr Kjetil Pedersen, Second Secretary, Norway Embassy, visited the centre in Hyderabad, India, on 30 August 2019

Mr Beat Walchli, Second Secretary, Switzerland Embassy New Delhi, visited the Puducherry and Chennai centres in India on 16 and 18 September 2019 respectively

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Corporate Social Responsibility

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Serving the homeless in South China

VFS Global South China team partnered with Warm Plus Organisation to provide care packages for their ‘homeless neighbours’. The activity witnessed enthusiastic participation from employees, who volunteered to distribute the care packages, and assist with basic hygiene, of more than 150 beneficiaries.

International Homeless Animals Day

VFS Global employees from Russia and Baltics volunteered to collect food, medicines and other essentials for homeless animals, as part of the month-long celebration around International Homeless Animals Day. Volunteers also visited shelters to spend time with the animals as they experience an acute lack of attention. In total, over 4,500 kg of feed was collected.

Some of the employees also took the initiative to organise a photo exhibition to support homeless animals in St. Petersburg. The exhibition was open for visitors and the proceeds were donated to support homeless animal from shelters patronised by charity fund ‘Loyalty’ and ‘Abandoned Angel’.

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A step towards a sustainable future The used shoes donation drive witnessed enthusiastic participation from employees in Mumbai, India. With the collection of over 130 pairs, the drive had a two-fold objective conserving the environment and saving a life!

Each year, more than 1.5 bn people are infected with life threatening diseases that could be prevented by wearing appropriate footwear.

Furthermore, over 350 mn non-biodegradable footwear is discarded, thereby harming the environment. The collected shoes were upcycled by Greensole (www.greensole.in) and distributed to the needy and preventing the footwear from ending up in a landfill.

‘Pro Bono’ promotions

As part of the campaign to promote ‘Pro Bono’ engagement, VFS Global Russia conducted several activities that served 600 people across 12 cities. Held in September 2019, the activities offered free services, including consultations with lawyers, translators, makeover artists, as well as stationary for school and hygiene kits to the beneficiaries.

The Backpacks initiative

Representational image

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Through the month of September, VFS Global’s regional offices in London, UK raised GBP 234 towards the Unicef educational backpacks initiative.

The money raised helped to buy 13 backpacks for the children.

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Recycling for good

Running for Solidarity

Representational image

Representational image

The Russia Visa Application Centre in Berlin collected empty plastic bottles and donated the money raised to a bilingual school in the city attended by Russian and German children. The team raised EUR 68.46.

Alexander Grinberg, Officer – Operations, VFS Global participated the Marathon of Colmar Running for Solidarity in Strasbourg, France to raise money for the charities Des mains des sourires, Fondation Le Phare and Les Papillons Blancs.

Book donation drive in China

VFS Global employees in China conducted a Children’s Book Donation drive across the Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing offices. More than 250 books were collected from the drive, which were sorted by our employees and donated to the Chuanyang Library of Children and Adolescents Service Center in Mianyang City, Sichuan Province.

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Š Copyright 2019. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright Warning: VFS Global is the owner of the copyright of the contents of this newsletter. Any form of reproduction or transmission without the consent of VFS Global will amount to an infringement of VFS Global copyright.

Disclaimer: All Trademarks, Logos etc. pertaining to third parties have been used for illustration purpose only and remain the exclusive property of their respective owners. All statistics stated are as on 31 October 2019.

All images captured in the visual are unintentionally shown therein and are only for illustration purposes with regard to the business of VFS Global, and does not amount to any endorsement/patronisation by any individual.