Tag Archives: BLS International

BLS International signs visa outsourcing contract with Italy in Kazakhstan

BLS International Services Ltd has signed a contract with the Embassy of Italy in Kazakhstan. This contract aims to enhance and streamline the visa application process for individuals traveling to Italy from Kazakhstan.

Catering to the increasing demand for visa services, BLS International to open five visa application centres across Kazakhstan strategically located in Astana, Almaty, Atyrau, Shymkent, and Ustkamenogorsk.

Ensuring accessibility and convenience for applicants from various regions of the country, BLS would handle 25,000 visa applications annually in Kazakhstan for Embassy of Italy. The new visa application centres will offer end-to-end visa processing solutions, including application submission, biometric data collection, and applicant support.

“We are humbled and privileged to partner with the Embassy of Italy again and provide our best-in-class visa outsourcing services in Kazakhstan this time,” said Shikhar Aggarwal, Joint Managing Director, BLS International Services Ltd. “Earlier this year, we effectively secured three new contracts with the Italian government in Singapore, Senegal, Abu Dhabi and Russia. This agreement further acts as a testament to the trust placed in us by Embassy of Italy. With our extensive experience and advanced technology, we are committed to providing outstanding services that meet the needs of visa applicants. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration and the opportunity to serve the community.”

 

BLS International signs pact with Italy to provide visa, legalisation services

BLS International has been awarded a contract to provide visa and legalisation services in Senegal beginning in July 2023.

Under the contract, BLS International will provide services for visas and legalizations in six major countries under the jurisdiction of the Italian Embassy in Dakar that are Senegal, The Gambia, Cabo Verde, the Republic of Guinea, Guinea Bissau, and Mali. With this development, BLS International has expanded its presence in Africa and nearby regions.

The agreement covers a wide range of services, including the collection and processing of visa applications, document legalization. BLS International will ensure a seamless and hassle-free experience for applicants, maintaining the highest standards of customer service and operational efficiency.

By leveraging its extensive experience in providing visa and consular services globally, BLS International is committed to delivering a streamlined and user-friendly process for Senegalese citizens. The company’s advanced technology platforms, along with its trained staff, will facilitate a smooth and efficient application process, minimizing turnaround times and enhancing overall customer satisfaction.

Commenting on this, Shikhar Aggarwal, Joint Managing Director of BLS International Limited, said, “It is our top priority to ensure an efficient experience for the Embassy of Italy. We are taking this opportunity to prioritize the digitalization of services, which would inevitably enhance the overall customer experience in public services. As veterans in the field, we feel confident handling and managing the volume of applications. The contract award is a sign of BLS International’s reputation for providing efficient and reliable services in the visa and legalization space.”

This partnership reflects BLS International’s dedication to expanding its global footprint and supporting governments in optimizing their visa and consular services. The company’s extensive network, spanning across numerous countries, enables efficient visa processing, ensuring a seamless experience for applicants across borders.

BLS International signs visa outsourcing contract with Spanish government for the second time

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation (MAEUEC) of Spain has awarded BLS International the global contract for visa application outsourcing for the second time in a row.

The contract covers Europe, the Americas, Latin America, the CIS, Africa, the Middle East, and APAC, amongst other regions. BLS International has been serving the Spanish government since 2016 and currently operates 122 visa application centers (VACs) in 40 countries.

This is a very significant win for BLS International, which handles approximately 2 million Spanish visa applications annually and is expected to increase further. The category of national visas is also being outsourced for the first time, which will lead to a further increase in volumes and opening of offices in new geographies. As a part of the contract, BLS will also be offering various value-added services (VAS) like SMS, courier services, mobile biometrics, premium lounge, etc.

Commenting on this, Shikhar Agarwal, Joint Managing Director, BLS International, said, “We are proud and feel privileged to be awarded the global contract yet again, as it reinstates the confidence we have strived to establish through our commitment to deliverables to the Spanish government. This contract will enable us to continue being instrumental in furthering the ongoing expansions of the VAC (visa application centers) network in the world for Spain and being a significant contributor to their growth story.”

BLS has already deployed its new technology software for appointment booking and processing applications, which is the best in class in the industry and leads to more convenience for the applicants.

With this development, BLS International finds itself amidst some major global wins in 2023, with an influx of newer missions in newer landscapes like accepting electronic visa on arrival (EVOA) applications from 17 countries worldwide for Thailand, Poland in Manila and Cebu, Thailand in South Africa, and Germany in the USA, amongst significant others.

BLS International to process Electronic Visa on Arrival applications from 17 countries for Thailand

BLS International Services Ltd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Thailand to accept Electronic Visa on Arrival (EVOA) applications for 17 countries worldwide. According to the release, this is a historic step towards improving the travel experience for Thai visitors.

This convergence of forces is expected to propel Thailand’s tourism inflow steadily, with estimated 75,000-plus applications expected for the upcoming season. BLS International is dedicated to providing seamless and efficient visa services for visitors from these 17 countries, with convenience at the forefront of the overall travel experience.

Commenting on this, Shikhar Aggarwal, Joint Managing Director, BLS International, expressed his delight and said, “Securing this partnership has further reinstated our unwavering confidence in ourselves to our commitment to our partner, our customers, our investors and we are all on board to continue delivering impeccable services by bringing technology into the fold.”

This development means that visitors from Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu can now look forward to a smooth visa application process when visiting Thailand.

With the onset of the holiday season ahead, this move is expected to bolster travel to the “Land of the Free” and propel international visitors to explore its very unique locales.

BLS International signs outsourcing agreement with Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India

BLS International Services Limited a leading provider of visa and consular services, signed an agreement with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, to provide outsourcing of Attestation & Apostille services.

Shikhar Aggarwal, Joint Managing Director at BLS International Services Ltd., said, “We are thrilled to partner with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, in delivering seamless Attestation & Apostille services to citizens. This collaboration aligns with our mission of providing world- class solutions for governments and institutions and showcases our commitment to supporting the foreign policy objectives of the Government of India. We are honoured to play a role in promoting India’s interests globally and delivering efficient and effective services to its citizens.”

He further said, “The Ministry’s engagement will enable us to participate in the creation and execution of India’s foreign policy and to work closely with other governmental organisations and the Indian diplomatic corps to advance India’s interests internationally”.

BLS International Services Limited is committed to delivering top-notch services, ensuring customer satisfaction, and is ready to make a significant contribution to the Attestation & Apostille industry.

Spain keen to promote cultural exhibitions in India with the launch of Picasso Celebration 1973-2023

Plans year-long promotional activities in 2023 to tap various segments

Spain officially launched its campaign on Picasso Celebration 1973-2023 in Mumbai recently. The event was inaugurated by H.E. the Ambassador of Spain to India. Picasso Celebration 1973-2023 will witness many exhibitions and activities in Europe – mainly in Spain and France – and in the USA as well. This is going to be an important occasion for art and culture lovers, and Spain Tourism is naturally making efforts to attract people interested this segment from India.

“We would definitely encourage the travel trade segment to promote Spain on this theme with multiple activities like exhibitions and symposiums, among others, to be held in Spain that will explore multiple facets of Picasso’s art, inspirations and life. It will be certainly a unique opportunity for art and culture lovers, of course, along with exploring the variety of tourism products like luxury, urban tourism, gastronomy, nature, among others, that Spain offers,” said Elisa Robles Fraga, Director, Tourism Office of Spain Mumbai, India, while speaking to TravelBiz Monitor on the sidelines of the event.

She said that the response from Indian travellers visiting Spain post Covid is encouraging. “The response from Indian travellers post-Covid has indeed been excellent,” Fraga said. With the travel restrictions getting more and more relaxed day by day, people are very much interested in compensating for the last two years of travel restrictions. Initially, Spain witnessed good demand from the FIT and smaller group of travellers from India but it is changing now. “Initially we saw a great demand from the FIT and smaller group travel segments, but now even larger travel groups, including MICE, are bouncing back with great demand,” revealed Fraga.

Taking due cognisance, Spain Tourism planned multiple promotional activities in the Indian market for 2023. Besides Tier-I cities, they will also target key Tier-II cities of India as well. “Apart from online campaigns targeted towards consumers and webinars for travel trade, we are also planning multiple familiarization trips for media and travel trade to encourage travels from various segments,” said Fraga.

She admits that Visa is an important issue which is restricting travel. “The issue is not just for Spain, but for other countries as well,” Fraga pointed out. She also said that they have indeed made great improvements in recent years in reducing processing time, and appreciates the tremendous efforts from the Spanish Embassy in New Delhi, Spanish Consulate in Mumbai and their visa processing partner BLS. “We understand that the demand for outbound travel has jumped suddenly and drastically in recent times, but we are constantly assessing the situation and putting our best efforts to ensure that the Indian travellers get their due opportunity to visit and enjoy our beautiful destination,” she said.

Throwing light on connectivity, Fraga said that in the current times of uncertain global economic conditions, all the airlines are reconsidering their strategies, and this issue is in fact very important to them. “Having said that, Spain currently does have multiple connections with India with one stop-over in countries such as UAE, Germany, France and Turkey, among others,” she said.