Both the Indian and Italian Governments must address the systemic flaws in the visa application process

When the Internet era started in the 20th century in the world, the people of the world were very happy that with the advent of the Internet era, development would be faster because the work would be done quickly with the facility of computers and the Internet. It was understood that the Internet would prove to be a boon to the entire world. It is understood that everything has two aspects (one positive and the other negative). Keeping this fact in front, the internet facility also has two aspects.

The first thing is that all these worldly people are not yet fully educated about the Internet. That is why they have to depend on other consultants and agents. Then those agents charge exorbitant amounts of money to get the job done. The second thing is that the employees of the concerned company/department are arbitrarily collecting thousands of rupees from the people through agents under the guise of the Internet. Even in this free facility provided by the government, the agents succeeded in getting a thief-hole. Even when governments run such facilities, they are not thoroughly checked later. Through this article, I want to draw the attention of the Governments of India and Italy that if Indians want to go to Italy with any type of Italian visa (tourist visa, work visa, or family visa etc.) after the sponsor papers issued by the Italian government, An appointment has to be taken to deposit papers and pay the visa fee etc. at the Italian Embassy. Earlier the appointments were getting over the phone from Mumbai Centre. Thereafter, it was shifted to email. But these days, it is being taken from the website (https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/ita/book-an-appointment).

The work of visa paper collection & fee etc. has been awarded to VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd Company by the Italian Embassy. On checking this website repeatedly, it shows that no slots are available at this moment; please keep checking the site regularly. Hence, educated men like us also cannot get appointments through this site and the validity of the sponsor papers is lost. If one contacts an agent/consultant during the validity of the papers, they charge a hefty amount (Rs. Twenty-five thousand to Eighty thousand) and provide the appointment. Many agents are roaming around near the VFS centres located in Elante Mall Chandigarh and Shivaji Stadium New Delhi, who demand a huge amount from the people to provide the appointments. Such agents have opened their shops in all the cities of India.

It is worth considering that a computer and internet-literate person on repeated visits to the above website finds that no slot (appointment time) is available, and keeps checking the site continuously. But, the agents are succeeding. It is important to mention here that under the rules of Italy, there is also a facility if the validity of one's sponsor papers is going to expire in 15 days, then at the (VFS Italy) centre in Delhi. You can go and deposit your papers and visa fees etc. directly without any appointment. But, it is not that easy as a visa application form is also filled along with other documents, which not everyone can fill.

The help of an agent is also required to fill that form. Agents demand 5000 to 9000 rupees just for filling out a one-page form.

If someone goes to their centre in Delhi with their complete documents in the last 15 days, they ask for other documents from them which are not required according to the rules. In this way, the papers submitted directly in the last 15 days do not get a visa. It is written in the reply letter that the visa has been refused due to the non-attachment of necessary documents. Then one has to take advice from an agent and then they say that the visa is denied only if the appointment does not get through them.

Finally, I would like to write that if the Italian Government wants to continue the process of making appointments on the Internet site instead of phone or email, then it should also give appointments to the common people so that the additional burden of the agent's money does not fall on the people. The governments of India and Italy need to pay attention to this issue.

(The writer is a renowned author and broadcaster, views are personal)