After over three months of being closed, the majority of Schengen Visa Application centres located in India will reopen, and resume accepting visa applications, though not all of them will be fully operating.

The reopening of the centres has been announced on August 6, 2020, by VFS Global, which is an outsourcing and technology services company that serves governments and diplomatic missions worldwide, and to which most EU countries have outsourced visa services in several world countries.

Among the Schengen and EU Member States that will reopen their visa centres in India are Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Switzerland, Norway, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, etc.

“The Denmark Visa Application Centre in Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad has resumed accepting limited category long-stay category applications. The Denmark, Norway and Portugal Visa Application Centres in New Delhi have resumed accepting long-stay visa applications, operating from 10 AM to 2 PM. Submissions will happen only through prior appointments,” the notice published by VFS notes.

The Austrian visa application centres have also resumed accepting limited long-stay category applications in the following locations:

• Bengaluru
• Chennai
• Hyderabad
• Kochi
• South Mumbai

At the same time, in South Mumbai, the Belgium Visa Application Centre will resume accepting long-stay D visas and seafarer (short-stay C visa) applications every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 AM to 2 PM.

Croatia, which is the sole EU country that has reopened its borders to all third-country nationals who can prove their purpose of entry, has resumed accepting exceptional case applications at its Visa Application Centre in Bengaluru. Whereas its Application Centres in Chennai and Hyderabad are only accepting limited long-stay category applications.

Swiss authorities have also reopened their Visa Application Centres in Bengaluru and Kochi, where they are accepting only exceptional case and limited long-stay category applications respectively. The centres located in Chennai and Hyderabad are already accepting limited long-stay category applications.

“The Luxembourg Visa Application Centres in New Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai will resume operations on July 31 2020, and in Bengaluru and Kochi on August 3 2020. For the time being, the centres will only accept Type D applications, via mandatory prior appointment. The centres will operate from 10 AM to 2 PM in New Delhi, and from 8 AM to 2 PM in Hyderabad and Chennai. Courier return of passports has been made mandatory owing to the current situation,” the notice reads.

Another Schengen country that has reopened its application centres in India is Norway. The Norwegian VAC in Bengaluru has resumed accepting limited category long-stay applications, whereas the ones in Chennai and Hyderabad are now accepting limited long-stay category applications.

Whereas, the Germany Visa Application Centres in Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Kochi are now accepting D Visa stamping (post-approval) applications and prolongation of expired national visas.

Italy has reopened its following centres in India:

• VAC in Bengaluru has resumed operations on July 27, 2020, for limited category applications.
• VACs in Chennai, Kochi and Hyderabad have resumed accepting limited long-stay category applications.
• VAC in Mumbai has resumed accepting re-entry, seamen, student and emergency visa applications, operating from 10 AM to 2 PM.
• VAC in New Delhi has resumed accepting re-entry visa applications, operating from 10 AM to 2 PM.

Applications can now be submitted at the Portugal Visa Application Centre in Chennai for holders of expired Portuguese residence cards, and for holders of expired Family Reunification visas.

Student and other long-stay visa applications can also be submitted at the Irish Visa Application Centres in Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Jalandhar, Chandigarh and Kolkata.

As per UK visa, the UK Visas and Immigration has begun a phased resumption of services at Visa Application Centres in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru (Global Tech Park only), Chennai, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai (Mahalaxmi only), New Delhi (Shivaji Metro Stadium only), and Pune.