Open day in Bedford to help Indian community with visa and passport paperwork

The Visa Facilitation Service (VFS) Global, with the SEVA Trust UK, held community meetings and an outreach surgery at Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara, Kempston and Sri Guru Ravidaas Temple, Bedford.

A VFS team of four officers spent the day offering free assistance and guidance on a range of official paperwork and on many other services it provides. The event attracted huge interest especially the elderly and families with children who find it different to travel to London to submit the needed paperwork.

Councillors, community and charity leaders held two meetings with VFS officers to discuss the key challenges faced by people in meeting the required processes. VFS Global is an outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide.

Sandeep Rana, senior general manager of the UK operations, said: “VFS staff always try their best to provide the needed information and support to the applicants. It was very useful to meet with the community reps to understand the key issues and we would be happy to organise more open days for the local communities.”

Chairman of SEVA Trust UK, Charan Sekhon thanked the VFS Team for coming to Bedford. He said: “The event was a huge success and we received really positive feedback from all Indian communities of Bedfordshire, especially our elderly members who find it hard to understand the online process and paperwork requirements. Having their applications and paperwork pre-checked by VFS, it saves a lot of their time. There have been many people who came from Luton, Milton Keynes and other towns suggesting there is a huge demand of these free events and SEVA Trust UK will continue to work with the Indian High Commission and VFS to support the local communities and arrange more surgeries in future.”

Pictured are the VFS team with Cllr Mohammad Nawaz, SEVA Trust UK chairman Charan Sekhon and Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara committee members.