Representative image showing a visa.
Credit: iStock Photo
Bengaluru: A dedicated visa application centre for Italy was inaugurated in Vasanth Nagar on Thursday by the Consulate General of Italy and VFS Global.
The event welcomed representatives from the public sector, other consulates, and professionals from the travel and tourism industry.
In his opening remarks, Alfonso Tagliaferri, Consul General of Italy in Bengaluru, highlighted that the new centre would better accommodate the growing demand for Italy visas. “The Bengaluru Consulate, which serves the southern states, has been open for only a year. This new VFS centre will streamline procedures and significantly improve service quality for the public,” he added.
Yummi Talwar, Chief Operating Officer of VFS Global (South Asia), noted the longstanding partnership between VFS Global and the Government of Italy, spanning two decades. “We currently operate 11 Italy visa application centres in India, and this new Bengaluru centre will play a key role in meeting the rising demand for travel to Italy,” she said.
In 2023, 91,600 visa applications to Italy were processed across India, a 36% increase from 2022. The first half of 2024 saw an additional 28% rise, with 54,200 applications processed, and the numbers are projected to surpass 1,00,000 by the year-end.