The rush for summer travel overseas is on and along with it the demand for visas. The huge backlogs for Schengen visitor visas post pandemic, as was experienced last year, has eased this summer; but the demand continues to remain strong. “Due to the very high demand for Spain, the appointments for Schengen visa are fully booked for the next month,” says Shikhar Aggarwal, joint managing director, BLS International Services Ltd.
He adds that there is a high demand from India to visit Spain this summer for short-term visa categories with BLS receiving more than 10,000 applications each month since March 2023. However, BLS International is yet to start processing the long stay national visas for Spain, which are permits to enter and remain for a period longer than three months, and long-term student visas. The national visas enable holders to not only to reside in Spain, but also to perform several activities, which the Spain Schengen visa prohibits.
Earlier this week, 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, according to a press release.
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 centres (VACs) in 40 countries.
BLS International, handles approximately 2 million Spanish visa applications annually and the numbers are expected to increase further, according to the release. 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 like SMS, courier services, mobile biometrics and premium lounge.
“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 network in the world for Spain and being a significant contributor to their growth story,” Aggarwal said.
BLS International works with over 46 client governments, including diplomatic missions, embassies, and consulates, and leverages technology and processes that ensure data security, the press release from the company stated. It now has an extensive network of more than 27,000 centres globally with a robust strength of over 20,000 employees and associates that provides consular, biometric, and citizen services.
Appointments for Spain Schengen visas fully booked for next month
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