Integrated Indian visa centre inaugurated at Jamuna Future Park

A new integrated state-of-the-art Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) at Jamuna Future Park (JFP) in the capital was inaugurated jointly by the Home Ministers of Bangladesh and India on Saturday morning.

In addition to Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Indian Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath Singh, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh V Shringla and Jamuna Group Chairman Nurul Islam Babul among others, were present during the launching ceremony.

During the ceremony, Rajnath Singh said that this is the largest visa centre in the world. It may be also a world record. The visa centre of Jamuna Future Park is larger than that of United Arab Emirates.

This new IVAC at JFP, will replace all existing IVACs in Dhaka - Motijheel, Uttara, Gulshan and Mirpur Road - in two phases.

Simultaneously, the existing e-token (appointment) system for submission of Indian visa applications also be withdrawn.

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 JFP by August 31.

From then on, there will be only one IVAC at JFP for all categories of visa applications without prior appointment in Dhaka.

Earlier, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said that the new IVAC at JFP will be a model visa centre.

Located in an 18,500 sq ft 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, vending machines for coffee and soft drinks, food kiosks, and as many as 48 counters for submission of applications.

Separate counters will be reserved for senior citizens, women, freedom fighters, and business applicants.

A special help desk and counter for services, including printing, photocopying, etc, will be accessible at cost price.

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 JFP and the amenities, reflect the continuing efforts of the High Commission of India, in collaboration with its outsourced partners, and the State Bank of India, to further streamline the Indian visa application process and strengthen people-to-people contacts between India and Bangladesh.