Country-wise Immigration and Visa News Updates

China:

Holi Day Notice: Chinese Visa Application Service Centre (New Delhi) will be closed on March 6, 2015 for Indian Holi Day

Netherlands:

The Embassy of the Netherlands in New Delhi, The Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mumbai and the Netherlands Visa application Centers in India will remain closed on the following holidays on March 6, 2015 for Indian Holi Day.

Schengen (Denmark, Switzerland, Germany) : 

• Please note with effect from 01 March 2015, Visa applicants are informed that travel medical insurance issued by only some Indian insurance companies will be accepted for visa procedures. However, visa applicants may seek to obtain insurance in any other country where claims against the insurance company would be recoverable in a Schengen state.

• The VFS Global Visa application centre in India will be closed on March 6, 2015 for Indian Holi Day

You can view here Travel Insurance Companies List that can now offer insurance for visa procedures.

Italy : New Delhi

Please be informed that all the travel agents and representatives would require to submit the original acknowledgement receipt, passport copy of the applicant, letter of authority with signatures of the applicant and photo id proof for the document, passport and legalization refund collection on behalf of applicants from the VFS Global.

Yellow passport holders will have to submit their visa applications at VFS Global centers commencing 1 March 2015

Please be informed that as per the instructions received from Embassy of Italy that with effect from 01 March 2015 all the Yellow passport holders need to submit their Visa applications at VFS Global Centres.

• Handwritten passports are no more accepted

Please be informed that as per the instructions received from Embassy that handwritten/ manual passports will not be accepted with immediate effect.

• Important Updation for Legalization

Please note that as per the updation received from the Embassy that with effect from 16 February 2015 the documents that VFS will accept and Not accept for certification of translation on behalf of Embassy.

Italy : Mumbai:

Effective from 02 March 2015, change in passport collection in West and South India.

• Collection of Passports

With effect from 2 March 2015 The Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai has implemented a change in arrangements for the collection of passport from visa application centres in West & South India.(Attached is the letter for the same). Please see Italy Mumbai consulates updates.

Germany: New Delhi

Notice – Processing Time

As per Visa Code of the Schengen member states under Article 23:

1. Applications shall be decided on within 15 calendar days of the date of the lodging of an application (Article 19).

2. That period may be extended up to a maximum of 30 calendar days in individual cases, notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed or in cases of representation where the authorities of the represented Member State are consulted.

3. In case when additional documentation is needed in specific cases, the period may be extended up to a maximum of 60 calendar days.

Germany: Mumbai - Processing time updates:

As per the Visa Code of the Schengen member states under Article 23:

Decision on the application

1. Applications shall be decided on within 15 calendar days of the date of the lodging of an application which is admissible in accordance with Article 19.

2. That period may be extended up to a maximum of 30 calendar days in individual cases, notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed or in cases of representation where the authorities of the represented Member State are consulted.

3. Exceptionally, when additional documentation is needed in specific cases, the period may be extended up to a maximum of 60 calendar days.

4. Unless the application has been withdrawn, a decision shall be taken to:

o issue a uniform visa in accordance with Article 24;

o issue a visa with limited territorial validity in accordance with Article 25;

o refuse a visa in accordance with Article 32; or

o discontinue the examination of the application and transfer it to the relevant authorities of the represented Member State in accordance with Article 8(2).

The fact that fingerprinting is physically impossible, in accordance with Article 13(7)(b), shall not influence the issuing or refusal of a visa.

 For more news and updates on immigration and visas, please subscribe to Y-Axis News