V F S Global to offer Israel visa services in the UAE

• VFS Global accepts applications for tourism, business, student, conference, medical, relatives & family visit categories from the center in Abu Dhabi

Effective 1 August 2022, residents of the UAE can apply for their Israel visas at the VFS Global Visa Application Centre in Abu Dhabi. The center accepts applications for tourism, business, student, conference, medical, relatives and family visit categories.

The contract was signed by H.E. Mr. Danny Gadot, Ambassador of Administration and Consul Affairs, Israel Embassy in the UAE, and Mr. Atul Marwah, Head – Middle East & North Africa, VFS Global, earlier this year. This is the first time the Israel Embassy in the UAE has outsourced its visa application process.

Atul Marwah, Head – Middle East & North Africa, VFS Global, said, “We are excited to embark on this new partnership with the Israel Embassy in the UAE, bringing in VFS Global’s domain expertise to
provide a smooth and efficient visa application journey. In February 2022, the Israel Ministry of Tourism signed a partnership with VFS Global as their tourism representation agency in the UAE. This new association is another feather in the cap for VFS Global’s association with this beautiful country.”

Applicants will benefit from a range of optional services offered by VFS Global, including passport withdrawal service, video conferencing for child applicants, form filling assistance, SMS updates, and courier return, among others. Applicants can also opt to submit their applications from VFS Global’s Premium Lounge, enjoying end-to-end personalized assistance throughout the submission process.

About VFS Global

VFS Global is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions. VFS Global is the trusted partner of 65 client governments, operating a global network with more than 3,500 Application Centres in 143 countries. The company has processed over 245 million applications since its inception in 2001. The company manages non-judgmental and administrative tasks related to applications for visa, passport, and consular services for its client governments, enabling them to focus entirely on the critical assessment task. VFS Global has its headquarters in Zurich/Switzerland and Dubai/United Arab Emirates.

VFS Global is majority-owned by funds managed by Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager. Blackstone seeks to create positive economic impact and long-term value for their investors,

the companies in which they invest, and the communities in which they work. Blackstone’s USD 915 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets, and secondary funds, all on a global basis.

The Swiss-based Kuoni and Hugentobler Foundation and EQT, a global investment organization, headquartered in Stockholm/Sweden, hold minority stakes in VFS Global.