Bhubaneswar to get global visa application centre at Baramunda; CM Majhi approves proposal

In a significant administrative decision aimed at easing international travel formalities for residents, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has approved the establishment of a Global Visa Application Centre in Bhubaneswar.

With this, people from Odisha will no longer be required to travel to cities such as Kolkata, Delhi or Hyderabad to apply for international visas.

Centre To Function From Baramunda Bus Terminal

According to the decision approved by the Chief Minister’s Office, the proposed Global Visa Application Centre will operate from the Babasaheb Ambedkar Bus Terminal building at Baramunda in Bhubaneswar. The Odisha government will provide approximately 3,000 square feet of space for the facility.

Until now, applicants from Odisha seeking international visas had to travel outside the state to access visa facilitation services. The absence of a visa application centre in Bhubaneswar had been a long-standing grievance among residents, particularly students, professionals, business travellers and tourists.

As such, the new centre is expected to significantly reduce travel costs, time and logistical hurdles for applicants from across the state.

Administrative Facilitation For Global Mobility

Government reports indicated that the Global Visa Application Centre will serve as a facilitation point for processing visa applications for multiple countries, including biometric submission and document verification, depending on the protocols of individual foreign missions.

The decision is expected to benefit a wide cross-section of applicants, including those travelling abroad for education, employment, medical treatment and tourism.

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Part Of Broader Infrastructure Push

The establishment of the visa centre also aligns with the state’s efforts to expand tourism and international engagement. Earlier, the Chief Minister had outlined a long-term tourism roadmap under the ‘Viksit Odisha at 2036’ vision, which includes developing integrated tourism destinations and improving supporting infrastructure.

Further, the centre will also position Bhubaneswar as a major transit hub, which could be key to unlocking future business potential and ease of access to major international trade hubs.