Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and Prakash Gupta, Consul General of India in Seattle, jointly inaugurated the first Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) in Seattle and Bellevue on Friday (local time). Mayor Harrell praised the Indian community in Greater Seattle for their significant contributions, highlighting their role in strengthening ties between India and the US. Consul General Prakash Gupta underscored that these new visa application centers reflect India’s commitment to deepen relations with the Pacific Northwest states of the US.
He emphasized, “The opening of the Indian Consulate in Seattle demonstrates India’s strong commitment to enhancing ties with the Pacific Northwest states of the US. Through these new visa application centers in Seattle and Bellevue, we aim to provide a more convenient experience for all consular applicants preparing to travel to India.” He added, “Ensuring smooth and efficient consular services is a top priority for us, and we welcome feedback from all applicants as we begin consular operations in Greater Seattle.”
The IVAC services follow the establishment of the first Indian Consulate in Seattle in November 2023 and will offer consular services such as visas, passports, OCI, and other related consular needs to residents of Greater Seattle, as stated by the Consulate General of India in Seattle. “For the convenience of residents on the east side in Bellevue, an additional IVAC drop-off facility has been set up at 1400 112th Avenue SE, Bellevue, WA, Suite 200,” the official statement noted. Both the Seattle and Bellevue IVAC Centers will be operated by VFS Global, the outsourced partner for visa services of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India. Amit Kumar Sharma, Head of VFS Global, expressed excitement about expanding their partnership with the Government of India since 2008. He commented, “The new centers in Seattle and Bellevue will play a crucial role in meeting the increasing demand for visa and consular services to India. We are confident that these visa application centers will improve customer experience, making the visa application process smoother and better serving travelers and the Indian diaspora.”
These services are expected to benefit the large Indian diaspora community within the consular jurisdiction of the Indian Consulate in Seattle, covering nine Pacific Northwestern states: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming.