Press release from The Royal Danish Embassy in Jakarta
Due to increasing workload and security issues experienced by Danish missions in connection with receiving and handling visa applications, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen has decided to outsource the receipt of applications for visa and for work- and residence permits to Denmark in a number of countries, including Indonesia. Visa applications for Iceland are comprised by the arrangement in Indonesia.
The Ministry has commissioned VFS Global Private Ltd. to operate the Danish Visa Application Centre in Jakarta. VFS Global Private Ltd. is an experienced and trusted outsourcing partner to many diplomatic and consular missions in more than 40 countries. In Jakarta the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United Arab Emirates are cooperating with the VFS. The VFS is part of the Kuoni Travel Group with HQ in Mumbai, India.
It is the expectation that this initiative will greatly improve the service rendered to Indonesian nationals seeking short term business, tourist or family visas to the Schengen area and also to Indonesian nationals wishing to go to Denmark for work or family reunification. The length of the application process will be reduced and a number of extra services will be offered, for instance: No appointment needed for submission and collection, return of passport to specified address or collection at the Centre, possibility to check application status on the Internet, SMS service etc. The VFS will collect the (unchanged) visa fee on behalf of the Embassy together with an additional service fee to the VFS.
With the new arrangements in place Indonesian residents applying for short term business, tourist, family or transit Schengen visas and for work- and residence permits may submit their applications at the Application Centre five days a week. The Application Centre is conveniently located in Jakarta.
All interested persons are encouraged to keep an eye on the Embassy’s website http://www.ambjakarta.um.dk/, where further news regarding the arrangement will be announced in due course giving detailed information on VFS opening hours, location, website and other useful information on the various services offered.
The Embassy wishes to apologize in advance for any temporary inconveniences which may occur due to the new arrangement, it should be stressed that the actual visa processing inclusive of decision making and issue of the visa still rest entirely with the Embassy. We are convinced that in the long run the outsourcing will accommodate both the business and private travellers and contribute to a continuously improved satisfaction of our visa and residence/work permit customers.
