BLS launches Spain Visa Application Centre

By Janani Kandaramage

Themed “Beyond Boundaries”, BLS International launched a Spain Visa Application Centre on 28 November at the Hilton Colombo, focused on simplifying the visa application processes for Sri Lankan residents. 

Renowned for its exceptional performance, BLS International has received prestigious accolades including being recognised as one of “India’s Most Valuable Companies” by Business Today Magazine, one of the “Best under a Billion companies” by Forbes Asia, and one of “Fortune India’s Next 500 companies”.

In his welcome address, BLS International Asia Regional Head Abhishek Aggarwal noted that the commencement of Spain Visa Operations in Sri Lanka is a testament to BLS’s unwavering dedication to providing stellar services to various communities in the world. Speaking about expanding their footprint to Sri Lanka, Aggarwal highlighted the company’s robust commitment to aligning with the values that define them: innovation, reliability, and customer-first approach. He claimed that this center goes beyond merely facilitating travel; it aims to build bridges between communities and nations, strengthen international ties, and foster meaningful economic and social impact across borders.

“As we move forward let us continue to foster trust, build bridges, and set benchmarks in global visa services. That way. Together, we can make the visa application processes more accessible, efficient, and enriching for everyone,” he said. 

The event was graced by Chief Guest, Spanish Ambassador to Sri Lanka Juan Antonio March who praised the efforts of BLS International while also reiterating the significant impact to Spanish-Sri Lankan relations. “Today is an important moment because we are opening a new facility that will not only ensure a high level of personal communication to Sri Lanka and Spain but will also extend assistance to individuals encountering obstacles with their visa applications,” he opined.

He further stressed that, “Next year, 2025 will mark 17 years of developing relations between Spain and Sri Lanka. This facility will strengthen these ties further by ensuring the new generation is deeply involved. We will be able to provide more educational opportunities to students of Sri Lanka aspiring to study in Europe not only because of this initiative, but also because we have many universities today, where they can follow their studies either in Spanish or in English which is a highly functional language in Spain. Hence, language should not pose a barrier. Spain stands as the second largest country in Europe for land area, followed by Russia which means there are a variety of attractions.”

He also stated, “Even though we are a small country of 45 million people. We received 85 million people in 2023 and are keen to welcome more, particularly from Sri Lanka. Our country is defined for its safety, quality of education, and historical cultural heritage leveraging the nation as a top travel destination. These experiences will be of great interest to Sri Lankans, especially as it is on its path to recovery from several consecutive crises and aims for greater development in the future. The President of Sri Lanka and the Foreign Minister have both urged me to push for enhanced cooperation between the two nations and I am certain this new visa application centre will aid me in my efforts.”

Embassy of Spain in New Delhi Consul Luis Solis praised the new system as transparent and user-friendly, stating: “The fast-track processing at this visa application centre guarantees, has led to big issuance of visas within 24-48 hours in India and 10 days outside India.” He believes the opening of this facility in Colombo broadens their network in Sri Lanka and will help Sri Lankans as well as Maldivians in receiving visas promptly and cheaply.

Tourism office of Spain in India Director Elena Orlando acknowledged that while tourism between Sri Lanka and Spain remains relatively lower when compared to other countries, it is steadily on the rise. She hopes that with increased open-mindedness and willingness to experience varying cultures, tourism will further flourish in both Spain and Sri Lanka, enhancing their economic progress in the future.

Pix by Sameera Wijesinghe