Spanish embassy, consulate to take over visa processing for applicants in India, Nepal

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? VFS Global has stopped accepting Spanish visa applications from applicants in India and Nepal.

What does the change mean? Beginning Tuesday, Spanish visa applicants in India or Nepal must submit at the Embassy of Spain in New Delhi or the Consulate General in Mumbai. Applicants should anticipate delays.

• Implementation time frame: Immediate and ongoing.
• Who is affected: Anyone applying for Spanish visas in India or Nepal.
• Impact on processing times: Processing delays should be expected, given that Spain normally relies on VFS centers to process applications from India or Nepal.
• Business impact: Businesses may need to adjust their schedules if applicants face visa delays.

Background: Spain outsources visa processing in India and Nepal to VFS Global. As BAL reported last week, the contract between the Spanish government and VFS Global for these services was up for renewal, and it appears no deal has been reached. VFS centers in India and Nepal will continue to accept and process Schengen visa applications on behalf of other Schengen Area countries.

BAL Analysis: The change in visa processing from VFS to the Embassy of Spain in New Delhi or the Consulate General in Mumbai may cause delays. BAL will continue to monitor the situation and will update clients if VFS centers resume the reception and processing of Spanish visa applications at any point.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in India. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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