Newstrack

BLS accuses VFS for breach of agreement over issue of Portugal visa

Chetan Kapoor - Mumbai

In an interesting development, Visa Processing Services, a division of BLS Detectives has written to VFS Global Services and the Embassy of Portugal in India claiming a breach of agreement by the former.

Our story 'VFS Global to launch Portugal visa centre in Delhi' that appeared in the September 1-15, 2008 issue of Express TravelWorld quoted Ajit Alexander, VP (Business Development & Marketing), VFS Global Services, as revealing his company being awarded the contract for processing Portugal visas in India. He had claimed that VFS would be establishing the centre in New Delhi two months’ time.

This statement has infuriated BLS since it presently offers services for the visa section of the embassy. It has accused VFS Global Services of "misleading the public" by claiming that it has won the contract for the Portugal mission in India and terms these claims as illegal and in violation of the terms and conditions of its agreement with the Portugal Embassy. It had given VFS Global Services seven days to retract their statement, failing which it will seek legal action.

In a copy of the letter carbon copied to us, Diwakar Aggarwal, director, BLS Group of Companies stated, 'We had been awarded this work for exclusively processing the visa applications as per the Agreement with Embassy of Portugal in India started in 2006 and it is being renewed periodically and the present agreement is still valid… From the above, it is clear that permission for processing the visa application forms has been provided to you (VFS Global Services) within the validity period of agreement between the BLS Detectives and Embassy of Portugal, when the BLS Detectives has exclusive right of processing the visa applications of Embassy of Portugal in India. We have not been informed by the Embassy of Portugal either formally or informally for the termination/amendment in the terms and conditions of our agreement during its validity'.

When contacted to know the exact date of renewal of the contract, a BLS official replied, "We cannot disclose these details as per our confidentiality agreement but nonetheless, the (visa issuance) process will continue."

Defending the above allegations at the time of going to print, Alexander commented, "The Embassy of Portugal has signed an agreement with us, whom we have been in touch with and we shall be guided by them." H E Luis Filipe Castro Mendes, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary, Embassy of Portugal in India was not reachable at the time of going to print.