Bhubaneswar: VFS Global, a leading global outsourcing and technology services provider for governments and diplomatic missions, is set to open a Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Bhubaneswar.
The facility will become operational starting April 1, delivering a major advantage to residents of the state and neighbouring areas who regularly need to apply for international visas. Currently, people from Odisha have to travel to Kolkata, Delhi and Hyderabad for the same.
Beyond core visa application processing, the centre will provide a range of helpful additional services, including assistance with filling out forms, guidance on document preparation, support for obtaining travel insurance, and various concierge-style offerings. The initiative is also anticipated to create valuable job opportunities for young people in the local community.
“The centre was much-needed in Bhubaneswar for providing world-class, convenient, time-effective and efficient visa facilitation services to people of Odisha who otherwise had to travel to Kolkata to meet their vis
a requirements. Commencement of visa facilitation from Bhubaneswar will save time and cost, boost international mobility and connectivity and also create local employment opportunities,” Union Minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan informed through a post on X on Saturday.
Stating that the initiative aligns with the government’s ‘ease-of-living, vision under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dharmendra expressed gratitude to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and VFS Global Group CEO Zubin Karkaria for considering his request for operationalising a visa application centre in Odisha capital.
The new centre’s opening coincides with Utkal Dibasa on April 1, adding symbolic importance to the launch.
The initiative follows earlier approvals from the Odisha government. In December 2025, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi greenlit the proposal for a ‘Global Visa Application Centre’ in Bhubaneswar. The centre will operate from the Babasaheb Ambedkar Bus Terminal building at Baramunda, where the state government will provide 3,000 square feet of space.
This development is expected to streamline the visa process for thousands in eastern India, particularly benefiting the growing number of students pursuing higher education abroad and professionals seeking international opportunities. Applicants will now be able to book appointments, submit documents, and provide biometrics locally, eliminating lengthy travel and associated costs.