A new integrated state-of-the-art Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC), the largest Indian visa centre in the world, has been inaugurated at Jamuna Future Park in the capital.
Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh along with his Bangladesh counterpart Asaduzzaman Khan formally opened the state-of-the-art Indian Visa Application Centre on Saturday morning.
Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Jamuna Group Chairman Nurul Islam Babul, among others, were present at the opening ceremony.
Later, they enjoyed a folk dance there, reports UNB.
The existing e-token (appointment) system for submission of Indian visa applications has been simultaneously withdrawn.
This new IVAC at JFP will replace all the existing IVACs (Motijheel, Uttara, Gulshan and Mirpur Road) in Dhaka in two phases.
The new IVAC in JFP will replace the existing IVACs in Motijheel and Uttara from July 15.
The remaining two IVACs in Dhaka (Gulshan and Mirpur Road) will also be shifted to IVAC, JFP by August 31.
There will, thereafter, be only one IVAC at JFP for all categories of visa applications without prior appointment in Dhaka.
The new IVAC in JFP is a model visa centre, said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
Located in an 18,500 square feet commercial area, the IVAC will have facilities like computer-generated token vending machines (expected waiting time will be indicated), comfortable seating arrangements in an air-conditioned waiting area, coffee and soft drinks vending machines, food kiosks and as many as 48 counters for submission of applications.
Separate counters will be reserved for senior citizens, women, Muktijodhas and business applicants.
A special help desk and counter for services, including printing, photocopying etc. will be accessible at cost prices.
The location of the new IVAC inside a spacious and secure shopping mall is expected to provide comfortable and seamless visa services to applicants and is expected to reduce waiting time considerably.
The consolidation of visa application services at the JFP and the provision of amenities, reflect the continuing efforts of the High Commission of India, in collaboration with its outsourced partners, the State Bank of India, to further streamline the Indian visa application process and strengthen people-to-people contacts between India and Bangladesh.