Outsourcing giant VFS Global will merge its Schengen, UK and Irish visa application centres in New Delhi into a single hub next month. France will be among the first missions to migrate, with appointments rerouted to the new premises from 15 February. The company confirmed that premium-slot upgrades will be frozen during the IT switchover, prompting travel-management firms to urge Indian business travellers bound for Paris to lodge applications before 5 February or divert to Mumbai or Bengaluru. (visahq.com)
For French employers tapping India’s talent pool, the headline benefit is a one-stop shop offering biometric capture, document scanning and courier return under one roof. However, the consolidation may temporarily lengthen appointment lead times and disrupt corporate group bookings. Mobility teams should audit pipelines and pre-book slots while availability lasts.
![VFS Global to Create New Delhi ‘Visa Super-Centre’, Redirecting French Schengen Applicants]()
To help businesses steer through this transition, VisaHQ’s France specialists can monitor appointment openings in real time, pre-check documentation against consular requirements, and arrange secure courier return of passports—services that can save crucial days when projects hinge on fast deployment. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/france/.
The move reflects VFS Global’s broader real-estate rationalisation strategy and could foreshadow similar hub-and-spoke models at other French consulates as global visa volumes rebound. French tech firms have welcomed the potential efficiency gains but warn that any backlog could delay onboarding of urgently needed specialists.
Importantly, the Talent-Passport pathway remains separate: eligibility checks still occur at France’s own visa sections, though biometric enrolment will shift to the new centre. Companies should align offer letters with France’s recently higher salary thresholds to avoid last-minute file rejections.
For French employers tapping India’s talent pool, the headline benefit is a one-stop shop offering biometric capture, document scanning and courier return under one roof. However, the consolidation may temporarily lengthen appointment lead times and disrupt corporate group bookings. Mobility teams should audit pipelines and pre-book slots while availability lasts.
To help businesses steer through this transition, VisaHQ’s France specialists can monitor appointment openings in real time, pre-check documentation against consular requirements, and arrange secure courier return of passports—services that can save crucial days when projects hinge on fast deployment. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/france/.
The move reflects VFS Global’s broader real-estate rationalisation strategy and could foreshadow similar hub-and-spoke models at other French consulates as global visa volumes rebound. French tech firms have welcomed the potential efficiency gains but warn that any backlog could delay onboarding of urgently needed specialists.
Importantly, the Talent-Passport pathway remains separate: eligibility checks still occur at France’s own visa sections, though biometric enrolment will shift to the new centre. Companies should align offer letters with France’s recently higher salary thresholds to avoid last-minute file rejections.
