Assam Gets First Visa Centre Handling Malta D-Visa Filings for Northeast India

Travellers in northeastern India who need a Malta D-Visa can now submit their paperwork in Guwahati instead of travelling further afield. A new Visa Application Centre has opened at ISBT, Khanapara, handling applications for 14 countries, including Malta.

The facility is the first Visa Application Centre in Assam. It was jointly inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Tourism Minister Ajanta Neog, Transport Minister Charan Boro, and Yummi Talwar, Chief Operating Officer for South Asia at VFS Global, which operates the centre.

Key facts

• Location: ISBT, Khanapara, Guwahati, Assam, India
• Malta: only D-Visa applications are handled at this centre
• Coverage: 14 countries in total
• Who can use it: applicants from eight northeastern Indian states
• First centre: the first Visa Application Centre in Assam

What has opened?

VFS Global has launched a Visa Application Centre in Guwahati, described as the commercial gateway to Northeast India. The company said the centre is located at ISBT, Khanapara, with access to public and private transport networks.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by dignitaries from the diplomatic missions of Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Italy and France.

Which countries' visas are handled there?

The centre processes visa applications for 14 countries: Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Malta, Morocco, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

For Malta, the facility handles D-Visa applications only. The source does not state which other Malta application types, if any, are accepted, nor does it list fees or processing times.

Who can use the centre?

The centre serves applicants from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. VFS Global said the opening reflects growing demand for international travel from Northeast India and supports demand linked to tourism, education and business.

VFS Global says it provides visa services on behalf of 53 sovereign governments through 561 Visa Application Centres in 20 cities across India, and is marking its 25th anniversary.

What this means for travellers

Residents of the eight northeastern states applying for a Malta D-Visa have a new submission point in Guwahati. Applicants from the other countries covered — Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Morocco, Switzerland and the United Kingdom — can also use the facility.

Before travelling to the centre, applicants should confirm which visa type they need, since the Malta service is limited to D-Visa applications. The source does not give opening hours, appointment arrangements or fees.

No further openings or service expansions have been announced beyond this centre.