Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and Consul General Prakash Gupta Open First Indian Visa Center

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and Prakash Gupta, Consul General of India in Seattle, jointly inaugurated the first Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) in Seattle and Bellevue. The event took place on Friday and marked a significant step in providing consular services to the Greater Seattle area.

Mayor Harrell’s Address

In his speech, Mayor Harrell praised the Indian community in Seattle for their contributions to strengthening the bonds between India and the US.

Consul General Gupta’s Remarks

Consul General Prakash Gupta highlighted that the new visa centers reflect the Indian government’s commitment to deepening relations with the Pacific Northwest. He emphasized the importance of providing smooth and efficient consular services and welcomed feedback for further improvements.

Services Offered

The IVAC centers will offer services such as visa, passport, OCI, and other consular requirements. An additional drop-off facility is available in Bellevue for convenience.

Management by VFS Global

VFS Global, the outsourced visa services partner of the Ministry of External Affairs, will manage the centers. Amit Kumar Sharma, Head of VFS Global, expressed excitement about expanding their partnership with the Indian government and enhancing customer experience.

Benefiting the Indian Diaspora

The new centers will benefit the large Indian diaspora in the consular jurisdiction of the Indian Consulate in Seattle, covering nine Pacific Northwestern states: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming.