As travellers’ confidence and easing of travel restrictions play major catalysts, visa application volumes from New Delhi continued to stay strong in 2023 and will continue to sustain in 2024 as well, says visa services firm VFS Global.

With travellers’ confidence in exploring new places and the relaxation of travel restrictions, the volume of visa applications from New Delhi remained strong in 2023 and closed further to pre-pandemic levels. 

According to visa services firm VFS Global, the visa application volume from New Delhi registered a 10 pc year-on-year growth in 2023. When compared to the pre-pandemic numbers, visa application volumes from New Delhi reached 82 pc of the 2019 levels.

It says that this trend of rise in visa application volume from New Delhi is in line with the overall growth trend registered in India, which saw a 16 pc year-on-year growth in 2023. When compared to the pre-pandemic numbers, visa application volumes from India reached 93 pc of the 2019 levels.

The statement adds that a few of the popular destinations preferred by travellers from India in 2023 were Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

‘‘We continued to witness unprecedented demand from India and the entire South Asia region in 2023 which led to an extended peak outbound travel season with steady visa application volumes witnessed until December. We are confident that this positive travel momentum will sustain in 2024 as well. Thus, applicants who are planning to travel overseas from India are advised to apply for their visas well in advance to avoid the last-minute rush,’’ says Vishal Jairath, Head, South Asia, VFS Global.

The statement adds that strong demand for personalised services such as Visa At Your Doorstep (VAYD) continued to be a defining trend in the 2023 visa application patterns as well. 

VFS Global says it recorded a strong uptick in customised services, with bookings in 2023 in India registering around a five-fold increase when compared to 2019. 

“We continue to see a healthy adoption of contactless and personalised services such as VAYD and Premium Lounge by discerning travellers post the pandemic due to health considerations. These services enhance the overall experience for applicants by offering them greater comfort and convenience when submitting their visa applications. We foresee higher demand for such premium services prioritising safe travel this year as well,” adds Jairath.