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| Mana al-Mana, Scheuerman and al-Khalil cutting the cake at a reception |
The office, run by CSC – WorldBridge Services and Gulf Bridge Services in partnership with the German embassy, marked this milestone with a reception attended by company officials and German Consul Horst Scheuerman.
Munther al-Khalil, account executive for Europe and MENA at CSC - WorldBridge Services, commented on the achievement: “The experience has been very rewarding for all parties involved including the customers who are applying for German visas. The centre also caters for applicants wishing to visit Austria, Finland, Norway and Slovenia.”
The Visa Application Centre, located in Alfardan Plaza on Al Sadd Street, operates seven hours a day, five days a week. In addition to the opening hours, applicants can visit the website to make an appointment to attend the visa centre at www.visainfoservices.com.
The centre also offers a premium lounge service where the applicant will enjoy focused attention by dedicated attending staff.
Officials expect a spike in applications for the summer, and will adjust the available staff accordingly. Some 60-70% of applications are for tourism, with the rest comprising business and medical activities. Travel to and from Europe is also expected to increase with the growth in business in Qatar.
Visa applications typically take 3-12 days to process, and applicants require a letter from their sponsor or company stating their position, monthly salary and a guarantee that they will return to Qatar. Applicants must also provide a confirmed hotel booking or a formal obligation letter from a friend or host in Europe, certified by a local/regional authority.
A bank statement from the previous six months and a printout of the return flight reservation are also required.
Additional services offered at the centre include passport photographs, photocopying, health insurance and SMS tracking of passports.