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A long-standing gap in consular access for the North-East is set to narrow, with Guwahati poised to host a dedicated visa facilitation centre following an agreement in principle between the Assam government and VFS Global. The move is expected to end years of inconvenience for travellers who must currently undertake expensive and time-consuming journeys to Delhi or Mumbai for biometric submissions.

 

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the development on social media, calling it a significant relief for residents across the region.

“Travelling abroad? Need to submit biometrics for your visa application? That meant a long journey to either Delhi or Mumbai. Soon this will be history for our people from Assam and the North East,” Sarma wrote.

 

The proposed centre will cater to visa processing for more than 60 countries. Officials said details on the specific nations covered and the operational timeline would be released after consultations with VFS Global, the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services provider for governments and diplomatic missions. The company manages over 3,000 visa application centres across more than 140 countries, processing millions of applications every year.

 

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For the North-East, however, access to such services has remained limited for decades. The absence of a centre in Guwahati has forced applicants from states such as Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura to depend heavily on Delhi or Mumbai, often incurring several days of travel, accommodation costs and loss of work.

 

Officials said the new facility would substantially reduce both logistical burden and financial strain for thousands of residents who seek visas for education, employment, medical travel and tourism.

 

VFS Global has conveyed its agreement in principle to the state government. The Chief Minister indicated that further information on the list of participating countries, service categories and the opening date would be shared as the project progresses.

 

The upcoming centre is expected to position Guwahati as a key hub for international mobility in the eastern corridor, aligning with the region’s growing outbound travel and rising demand for global education opportunities.