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3h ago

Guwahati Opens Northeast’s First Multi-Country Visa Application Centre

VFS Global will manage local intake, biometrics, logistics to cut the need for trips to Kolkata or Delhi and boost access to international travel from the eight Northeastern states.

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With the opening of the new centre, they will now be able to apply for visas to several countries from Guwahati itself, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. (ANI)

Overview

  • The Visa Application Centre at ISBT Khanapara was inaugurated on Thursday, October 15, 2026, and will initially accept applications for 14 countries, with Schengen processing covering 29 European states.
  • VFS Global will operate the centre to collect applications, fingerprints and documents while each country’s embassy or consulate retains final authority to approve or refuse visas.
  • The facility is intended to serve all eight Northeastern states—Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim—reducing travel time and costs for students, tourists and business travellers.
  • Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also announced that Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati is designated to operate as a hub-and-spoke international transit facility starting October 27, 2026, which could simplify transit immigration for some travellers.
  • The new centre builds on long-standing gaps in regional visa access by localizing administrative steps, but its practical impact will depend on appointment availability, the scope of visa categories accepted and any future expansion of covered countries.