Dubai, 4th September, 2007: The Embassy of Italy in the UAE haslaunched Tuesday in a new center to handle applications forvisas to Italy as well as for Schengen visas by UAE nationalsand foreign residents in Dubai, said ItalianEmbassy. a press release.

Italy Visa Application Centre (IVAC), located in Karamah Streetin Bur Dubai, was inaugurated today by Italian Ambassador tothe UAE Paolo DIONISI in a ceremony attended by Italian ConsularAgent in Dubai, Roberto VAGNI, and the VFS Chief in Dubai, Mrs.

Kavita SHENOI.

IVAC will be operated by VSF (GCC) LLC, Italy's Consular Agency'snewly-appointed outsourced partner which, the Embassy said,is a "highly experienced and trusted outsourcing partner to Diplomaticand Consular missions in UAE and about 18 other countries andsuccessfully handles visa processes for the Embassy of Italyin India."The introduction of this outsourced service, which will costAED 110 in addition to the Schengen visa compulsory fee, willgreatly facilitate the visa process in Dubai, said the ItalianEmbassy.

The IVAC will collect visa applications and speed up the schedulingof applicants' interviews at Italian Consular Agency in Dubai.

Applicants will be able to track the status of its applicationonline. They will also be able to collect the passports atIVAC after the issuance of their visas.

"The introduction of this outsourced service will greatly facilitatethe visa process in Dubai", said the Embassy.

"This significant innovation shortly follows another significantfacilitation in the visa process. on July 1st, 2007, Italy exemptedUAE Diplomatic and Special Passports from visa obligations toenter Italy which became the first Schengen state to do so.

UAE and Foreign Citizens Residents in Dubai and in the NorthernEmirates (Sharjah, Fujairah, Ajman, Ras - Al- Khaimah, Umm -Al- Quwain) applying for a short term Schengen Visa & long termvisa category can now submit their applications at the ApplicationCentre between 0900 hrs to 1700 hrs, Sunday to Thursday, at thefollowing location: Al Telal Building # 7 No. 15, Al Karamah(behindMinistry of Health), Dubai - U.A.EAs per Schengen visa law and procedure, the Visa Office at theItalian Consular Agency will remain open for any Diplomatic,Special and Service passports as well as real urgency requests,at the location of the Italian Consular Agency, from Sunday toThursday, 10 am to 11 am.

With the new arrangements in place, applicants can have theirpassports couriered to their specified address after processingor collect it from the IVAC between 1300 hrs to 1700 hrs.

All inquiries concerning the visa application process will beattended to by a call centre on 04 3571225 between 0900 - 1200hrs & 1300 - 1700 hrs, via email to info@vfs-it-ae.com or onthe website at www.vfs-it-ae.com which offers instant trackingservice of the status of their applications, the Italian Embassysaid.