French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy inaugurated a new visa application centre with VFS Global on Tuesday, aimed at facilitating travel for Bangladesh residents.
“The Embassy of France is very happy to inaugurate this new visa application centre. The aim of outsourcing the collection of visa applications is to facilitate travel for Bangladesh residents,” she said.
VFS Global began accepting short-term and long-term visa applications for France on Wednesday at the new centre located at 118 Gulshan Avenue. Appointment bookings are already open via VFS Global.
The Ambassador said the move will increase the number of daily applications, reduce waiting times, modernize payment options, and generally improve the applicant experience through a specialised centre.
She stressed that VFS Global’s role will be limited to receiving applicants and collecting application files. “The processing of visa applications will continue to be the sole responsibility of the Embassy,” she added.
At the inauguration, VFS Global’s Bangladesh spokesperson said the centre will help meet the growing demand for travel to France. “The global experience of VFS Global will make France’s visa services easier and hassle-free for the citizens of Bangladesh,” he said.
VFS Global has been a trusted partner of the French government in visa processing since 2004. It currently operates 70 dedicated visa centres across 29 countries.
The new facility is equipped with trained customer service representatives to guide applicants through every stage of the process. It offers flexible payment options (cash, card, and online), easy appointment booking, and extended operating hours for both submission and passport collection.
“We are excited to expand our partnership further. We are confident that these visa application centres will support the rising demand for travel between the two nations by making the application submission process smoother and enhancing customer service,” the spokesperson said.