On 30 May 2023, H.E. Ms. Helene Rekkers, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Cape Town, South Africa inaugurated The Netherlands Passport and ID Application Centre in Cape Town South Africa, in the presence of Mr. Hariprasad Viswanathan, Head – Sub Saharan Africa, VFS Global, and other distinguished dignitaries, as an extension to the ongoing visa processing services. VFS Global shares a long-standing relationship with the Government of the Netherlands since 2006.
The newly opened Centre located at 2 Long Street, Cape Town, CBD, 8001 will accept applications for a Dutch passport or ID card, as well as applications for renewals in addition to the Centre in Durban which commenced services from 2 May 2023. In addition, VFS Global currently offers visa application services for applicants in South Africa via an extensive network of Visa Application Centres in the cities of Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, and Pretoria.
Commenting on the launch of the new passport Centre, H.E. Ms. Helene Rekkers, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Cape Town, South Africa, said, “The opening of this beautiful and bigger premises will allow VFS Global to continue to give a high-quality service to Dutch customers, by continuing to improve the visa application process.”
Mr. Hariprasad Viswanathan, Head – Sub Saharan Africa, VFS Global, added “Our passport and consular services have been growing from strength to strength, and we look forward to bringing those best-in-class services to The Kingdom of the Netherlands nationals here in Cape Town with this new Centre. By leveraging our transparent, scalable, and intuitively designed services in the passport application and consular services domain. VFS Global delivers on a range of key requirements from online appointment booking, biometric enrolment and doorstep return-delivery of passports and other documentation requirements for multiple Governments across the world, including Ghana, India and Liberia in the region.”
Key benefits of The Netherlands Passport and ID Application Centre:
● Flexible ‘prime time’ services for submissions beyond standard operating hours
Experience personalised service by our dedicated staff with our Premium Lounge service
Wide selection of optional value-added services for added comfort and conveniences like dedicated courier service, photocopy, photo services and SMS updates to enhance the overall experience of applicants
The pandemic has accelerated the trend of outsourcing passport and consular services as many governments look to limit the number of people who apply directly via embassies and consulates for these services. Collaboration between governments and VFS Global, with a sharp focus on tech-driven solutions, can play a crucial role in transforming the delivery of essential public services, thereby making the customer experience safer and more convenient.
South Africa, Ghana and Liberia are the other African countries that have outsourced their passport services capabilities to VFS Global for processing.
