Japanese embassy opens new Visa application centre

The Japanese Embassy in Sri Lanka opened its new Visa application centre in Kollupitiya recently.

It is operated by the VFS Global, the international outsourcing and technology services specialist for diplomatic missions and governments.

Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Kenichi Suganuma opened the new office located at 4 1/1, Geethanjali Place, Colombo 3. Application ‘drop-off’ facilities will also be in operation in nine outstation cities to increase accessibility of visa services for residents.

Ambassador Suganuma speaking at the opening ceremony said: “it is my sincere hope that, with the opening of the new Visa application centre, visit to Japan will become more convenient for travelers from Sri Lanka to Japan.”

Suganuma added: “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. This figure is triple the number of applications that was received five 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 nine major cities outside of Colombo for application, which will ensure greater accessibility and convenience to applicants.”

VFS ­Global Middle East and South Asia COO Vinay Malhotra 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 the launch, visa applications will no longer be accepted at the Embassy of Japan in Colombo.

The visa application drop-off centres will act as collection and distribution centres for visa applications and processed passports. All applications are forwarded to the main processing centre in Colombo from these locations. 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.

Daisuke Kobayashi, Senior Director and Taiga Uezono and Director of the Japan National Tourism Organization Singapore Office participated.