Dubai, 30th June 2013:  The Consulate General of Italy in Dubai has appointed Cox and Kings Global Services (CKGS) as the new service provider for processing visa applications for travel to Italy. CKGS opened a new visa application centre in Dubai dedicated exclusively to applicants who wish to travel to the Schengen area and have Italy as their main destination.

The Italy Visa Application Centre was inaugurated today by Consul General Mr Giovanni Favilli and the CEO of Cox & Kings Global Services, Mr Sanjay Bhaduri. The centre is located at Al Deyaar Building, Office # 310, Al Barsha 1 - Next to Mall of Emirates Bridge, Dubai

The Italy Visa Application Centre will process all categories of visas such as tourist, business, transit, work/employment, student, family reunion and medical visas. Applications will be received from UAE nationals and residents living in the Emirates of Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, and Umm al-Quwain.  

Commenting on this association, Mr. Giovanni Favilli, Consul General of Italy in Dubai, said: "We are pleased to appoint CKGS as our representatives to manage the Italian Visa Application Centre in Dubai. We want to strongly encourage travel to Italy and make the procedures simple and hassle free. While the rules governing Schengen visas remain the same for all countries participating in the agreement, we believe that information should be clear, communication with operators should be easy and appointments to apply should be given within a short time frame. The visa facilitation centre will be a one-stop centre able to provide visa services to residents of UAE planning to visit Italy." Mr. Favilli also mentioned that the Consulate General has already issued 10,550 visas in 2013, an increase of 130% over 2012. The visas issued in the same period (1 January - 25 June) were 4,603 in 2012 and 5,141 in 2011.  

According to Mr. Sanjay Bhaduri, CEO - CKGS, "We are happy to partner with the Italian Consulate General in Dubai to enable those living here the convenience of submitting and collecting their Italian visa at this centre. We are certain that, with the support of the Consulate, this tie-up will provide great assistance and convenience to travellers who want to visit Italy."  

CKGS and Italian Consulate have partnered in order to ease and speed up the application process for visitors to Italy. In this regard applicants will be able to book the appointment via web site, toll free telephone number 800 ITALY (48259), web chat as well as email (italyvisa.dubai@ckgs.ae). Additionally CKGS will accept walk-in customers without an appointment, although the waiting time for those applicants might get extended.

CKGS will provide appointments for visa submission within three working days from the received request. The ordinary processing time for a completed visa application with all the required documents ranges from 3 to 20 days. It varies according to the nationality of the applicant and the period of the year in which the application is presented, pre-summer period being the slowest. Applicants are advised to apply on time, ideally 45 days before their scheduled departure date.

Additionally CKGS will offer various additional services such as SMS updates, courier delivery of passports, SIM Cards for Italy, assisted form filling, travel insurance, photocopies and photo processing as part of enhanced service for travellers to Italy.

Applicants will be able to pay for the visa and service fees by cash, debit or credit card at the Visa Application Centre or online. Moreover, applicants will be able to view the status of their applications online.

The Italy Visa Service Centre can be contacted on 04-3992466 from 08:00 am - 05:00 pm from Sundays to Thursdays or by e-mail italyvisa.dubai@ckgs.ae. 

About C&K Global Services
Cox & Kings Global Services is a 100% subsidiary of the Cox and Kings Group. It is a specialist business process outsource organisation which focuses on serving Consular sections of Diplomatic Missions. CKGS render services by providing administrative support and managing non-judgmental tasks related to the entire lifecycle of a Visa, Passport & Consular application process, hence enabling missions to focus on the key tasks of adjudication.

As a core business, the organization is extremely well placed to address the need of the Diplomatic Missions Worldwide and focuses on addressing the concerns regarding security, integrity, speed and efficacy on the outsourced solution of the business.

CKGS has its corporate office in Mumbai (India) and have regional offices in Dubai, China, USA, London and New Delhi and is in the process of establishing its offices in Washington DC, Lagos, Beijing and Moscow. 

Presently, CKGS renders services to the Embassy of India in Germany, Embassy of India in Greece, Consulate General of India in Hong Kong, Indian High Commission in Singapore and Embassy of India in Sweden & Latvia.

CKGS also carries out the registration process for the Emirates Identity Program in the UAE. 

It has recently won the mandate to process Italian visas in the Emirates of Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, and Umm al-Quwain on behalf of the Consulate General of Italy in UAE.

In India, it renders services for the Thailand Consulate General in Western India, Dubai Visas (DNATA), Royal Norwegian Embassy in India and the Embassy of Japan in India. CKGS also provides Attestation services on behalf of the Ministry of External Affairs in India.

For further media details, contact:
Thomas C Thottathil,
AVP - Corporate Communications & CSR;
thomasct@ckgs.com 

Jayakrishnan Bhaskaran - Adfactors PR;
+971559578237 /jk@adfactorspr.com

© Press Release 2013