Odisha: Inaugurating a new visa application center at the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Bus Terminal in Bhubaneswar, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today said the facility will strengthen the state’s global connectivity framework. Majhi said the initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to providing citizen-centric services.
The Chief Minister further stated that the new facility will make it easier for the state’s youth and professionals to travel abroad, while also boosting tourism and strengthening international relations. Until now, people from Odisha had to travel to cities like Kolkata and Hyderabad to apply for visas.
The state government has allocated approximately 3,000 square feet of space for the center, run by VFS Global, at the Baramunda Bus Terminal complex.
Initially, the center will provide visa services for 10 countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, Estonia, Italy, Malta, Switzerland, Japan, Morocco, and Egypt. The Chief Minister said more countries are expected to be added in the future. According to officials, VFS Global currently provides visa services for 53 countries through more than 560 centers in 20 cities across India. Globally, the company operates in 167 countries, providing visa, passport, and consular services to governments and diplomatic missions through more than 4,000 centers. Representatives from the embassies of Austria, Italy, and Switzerland, as well as senior government officials and VFS Global representatives, attended the event.
