Dhaka: A new integrated state-of-the-art Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) at Jamuna Future Park (JFP) will be inaugurated jointly by the Home Ministers of Bangladesh and India on Saturday morning.

This new IVAC at JFP will replace all existing IVACs (Motijheel, Uttara, Gulshan and Mirpur Road) in Dhaka in two phases, reports the UNB.

Simultaneously, the existing e-token (appointment) system for submission of Indian visa applications will also be withdrawn.

The new IVAC in JFP will replace the existing IVACs in Motijheel and Uttara from July 15. The remaining two IVACs in Dhaka (Gulshan and Mirpur Road) will also be shifted to IVAC, JFP by August 31.

There will, thereafter, be only one IVAC at JFP for all categories of visa applications without prior appointment in Dhaka.

The new IVAC in JFP will be a model visa centre, said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka on Friday.

Located in an 18,500 square feet commercial area, the IVAC will have facilities like computer generated token vending machines (expected waiting time will be indicated), comfortable seating arrangements in an air-conditioned waiting area, coffee and soft drinks vending machines, food kiosks and as many as 48 counters for submission of applications.

Separate counters will be reserved for senior citizens, women, muktijodhas and business applicants.

A special help desk and counter for services, including printing, photocopying etc. will be accessible at cost price.

The location of the new IVAC inside a spacious and secure shopping mall is expected to provide comfortable and seamless visa services to applicants and is expected to reduce waiting time considerably.

The consolidation of visa application services at the JFP and the provision of amenities, reflect the continuing efforts of the High Commission of India, in collaboration with its outsourced partners, the State Bank of India, to further streamline the Indian visa application process and strengthen people-to-people contacts between India and Bangladesh.