[caption id="attachment_109307" align="alignleft" width="278"] From left: Mohan Matthew, Etimad – COO; Marita Bachhav, Head Of Operations – GCC, Lebanon & Jordan, VFS Global; Geert Criel, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium in Riyadh; Karine Maeckelberghe, Consul General of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Riyadh, inaugurate the Belgium Visa Application Center in Saudi Arabia [/caption] RIYADH — Residents of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia can now apply for visas to Belgium and Luxembourg at a Visa Application Centre launched for the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium for the first-time in the Middle East. Services at the center commenced last Dec. 12. Visa applicants can visit the centrally located VFS Global center located on the First Floor at Dove Plaza, Umm Al Hamam Street, Umm Al Hamam, Riyadh, to submit their visa applications and enroll for biometrics. The well-appointed center caters to the growing needs of outbound travellers from the country. With Belgium and Luxembourg emerging as popular travel destinations, the new center will offer applicants greater convenience and enhanced quality of services when applying for their visas. Since commencing visa processing operations for the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium in 2006, VFS Global serves the client government in 10 countries from 51 visa application centers across the globe. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia the company currently serves 21 client governments, from 67 visa application centers located across the country. Geert Criel, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium in Riyadh, said "we are very happy to work with VFS Global in Saudi Arabia. Travelers to Belgium will not be required to come to the Embassy for their visa application anymore, but will be able to introduce their applications in the VFS center, initially only in Riyadh, but later also in other parts of the country. This will ensure a client-friendly and efficient service. We are looking forward to an increase of business and tourism travelers from Saudi Arabia to Belgium." Srinarayan Sankaran, COO – Middle East, VFS Global, said "it is an honor for us to extend visa services for the government of the Kingdom of Belgium to applicants in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The center will help make the visa procedure faster, smoother, and more convenient, significantly contributing to the advancement of travel to Belgium and Luxembourg from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We are confident that our center will be successful in providing accessible and world-class services to our applicants." The center features: Convenient and centrally-accessed location Professional staff with local language capability to handle queries and applications Well-appointed center for enhanced comfort of applicants Automated queue governance for smooth flow of applicants Dedicated website for easy access to information including visa categories, requirements, check-list and applicable fees 100% secure handling of passports, documents and personal information Door-step delivery of passports Premium lounge for personalized and comfortable service
