Guwahati gets Northeast's first visa application centre, easing global travel

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has inaugurated the Northeast's first multi-country visa application centre in Guwahati, ending the long-standing requirement for the region's travellers to journey to Kolkata or Delhi simply to submit passports and record fingerprints.

Operated by VFS Global, the facility is located within the Inter-State Bus Terminal complex at Khanapara. It will initially accept applications for 14 countries, covering European nations, Japan, Ireland, Egypt, Morocco, and the United Kingdom, alongside Schengen entry permits that grant access across 29 European states.

For decades, students, holidaymakers, job seekers, and patients travelling abroad from the eight northeastern states had to absorb substantial preliminary costs before ever boarding an overseas flight. Applicants had to arrange domestic flights or long rail trips, take time away from work, and pay for hotels in metro cities merely to complete brief administrative formalities.

"Residents of Assam and the rest of the Northeast had so far been required to travel to Delhi or Kolkata to apply for visas to foreign countries," Sarma said at the opening ceremony. "The visa centre will bring the world closer to Assam and Northeast's people."

Assam Minister Bimal Borah noted that applicants can complete paperwork for seven Schengen countries under one roof, marking a practical step forward in the region's expanding international connections. The state government expects the centre to scale up further, eventually processing applications for more than 60 countries.

The centre acts strictly as an administrative facilitator, collecting application forms, securing documents, verifying biometric records, and returning passports. Final decisions to approve or reject visas remain with the respective foreign embassies and consulates.

Expanding international links from Assam

The arrival of dedicated visa processing complements a steady build-up of physical infrastructure across the region. Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati already operates direct international flights to Dubai, Singapore, and Bhutan, with direct scheduled flights to Bangkok starting on 27 October.

By anchoring essential consular support inside the state, the administration is lowering administrative friction for local citizens while positioning Guwahati as an integrated commercial and transit hub for all eight northeastern states.