Grand opening of the Japan Visa Application Centre

Application ‘drop-off’ facilities are also launched in 9 cities to increase accessibility to visa services for residents

  The Embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka has signed a contract with VFS Global to open dedicated visa application facilities for more accessibility to the residents of Sri Lanka and other nationals travelling to Japan. The Japan Visa Application Centre, located in the heart of Colombo and operated by VFS Global, was inaugurated by H.E. Mr Kenichi Suganuma, Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka at the opening ceremony held on 17 February 2017.
  Mr. Daisuke Kobayashi, Senior Director and Mr. Taiga Uezono, Director of the Japan National Tourism Organization Singapore Office participated in this ceremony together with other distinguished guests.
Speaking about the launch, Ambassador Suganuma said, “In recent years, the number of people traveling between Japan and Sri Lanka has increased, resulting in over 20,000 visa applications being submitted to the Embassy for the first time in 2016, triple the number of applications that was received 5 years ago. With the launch of Japan visa application centres in Colombo and Jaffna, we aim to cater to the increasing volume of visa applications, by reducing the waiting time and offering extended hours for submissions, as well as outreaching to 09 major cities outside of Colombo for application, which would surely ensure greater accessibility and convenience to applicants.”
Commenting on the launch, Mr. Vinay Malhotra, COO – Middle East and South Asia,
VFS ­Global, said, "With the opening of the Japan Visa Application Centre in Colombo, travellers to Japan will now get their visas processed through our professionally managed services. We are confident that these centres will positively contribute to the strong ties of travel between the two countries, by maintaining best-in-class standards of service quality for applicants.”  
  With this launch, applicants seeking visas to Japan for business, education or tourism purposes, can submit their applications at VFS Global’s Japan Visa Application Centre conveniently located in Colombo. Visa applications will no longer be accepted at the Embassy of Japan in Colombo. This new centre is located at 4 1/1, Geethanjali Place, Colombo - 03, Sri Lanka.
To increase accessibility to visa services for applicants living outside Colombo, VFS Global has also launched visa application drop-off centres in 9 cities across Sri Lanka. The drop-off centres shall merely act as collection and distribution centres for visa applications and processed passports. All applications are forwarded from these locations to the main processing centre in Colombo. Applications can be submitted at the VFS Global Visa Application Centre in Jaffna, or at any of the Aramex ‘drop-off’ centres in Kandy, Kurunegala, Galle, Puttalam, Katunayake, Peliyagoda, Biyagama and Ratmalana.
VFS Global also manages Japan visa processing services in Russia, India, Thailand, P.R. China and Vietnam, and has been serving the Government of Japan since 2010. VFS Global consistently strives to support the client government in smoothly processing large volumes of visa applications and to enhance accessibility to visa application facilities for leisure, MICE (Meeting, Incentive tour, Convention/Conference, Exhibition), and business travellers, so that the Embassy can focus on the key task of adjudication of visa applications.


 Key features of the centre include:

• Skilled staff well-versed with the local language to handle applications and queries
• Extended operating hours enabling visitors to submit applications at their time of convenience
• 100% secure handling of passports, documents and personal information
• Dedicated website for easy access to information including visa categories, requirements, checklist, applicable fees, visa status update
• Doorstep delivery of passports

 

Japan Visa Application Centre Address: 4 1/1, Geethanjali Place,  Colombo - 03, Sri Lanka

Helpline: +94720910106 | 0800 hrs - 1700 hrs | Monday to Friday (except declared holidays)   Email: info.japansl@vfshelpline.com   Website: www.vfsglobal.com/japan/srilanka   Submission Timings: 0800 hrs – 1600 hrs | Monday - Friday (except holidays as declared by the Embassy)   Document Collection: 0800 hrs – 1600 hrs | Monday - Friday (except holidays as declared by the Embassy)

 

VFS Global will be responsible only for accepting applications on behalf of client missions. All applications submitted will continue to be assessed and processed by the respective consulates and embassies. Timelines for turnaround of visas are as per the discretion of the authorities.


 

About VFS Global

VFS Global is the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. With 2214 application centres, operations in 126 countries across five continents and over 135 million applications processed as on 31 December 2016, VFS Global serves the interests of 50 client governments. VFS Global’s worldwide operations are certified ISO 9001:2008 for Quality Management System, ISO 27001:2013 for Information Security Management System and ISO 14001:2004 for Environmental Management System.

 For more information, please visit www.vfsglobal.com