Applicants for Indian visas must appear in person, provide biometrics

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? The visa service center that handles Indian visas for applicants in Singapore has announced that it will begin collecting biometrics from all applicants.

What does the change mean? Effective immediately, visa applicants will have to appear in person when submitting visa applications and should be prepared to have their biometrics taken.

• Implementation time frame: Immediate and ongoing. The change took effect Monday.
• Visas/permits affected: All Indian visas.
• Who is affected: Individuals applying for a visa for the first time at the BLS International Services center in Singapore.
• Impact on processing times: Processing times themselves are not expected to change, but applicants will need to build more time into their schedules in order to appear in person and provide biometrics.

Background: BLS International Services handles visa processing for the High Commission of India, Singapore and recently announced on its website that it would begin collecting biometrics from all applicants. The center does not handle e-visa services, however, which are handled directly by the Indian government through the government’s official e-visa website.

BAL Analysis: The new biometrics adds an additional step to the process of applying for an Indian visa for the first time in Singapore. Those affected should be sure to leave enough time in their schedules to appear in person and provide biometrics. Once biometrics have been collected, subsequent applications will not require individuals to be present.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group in Singapore. For additional information, please contact singapore@bal.com.

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