The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Fast-track business visas to Italy on anvil

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 18, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Fast-track business visas to Italy on anvil

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, OCT. 17. The Italian embassy is in talks with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) to fast-tack business visas to Italy.

Antonio Armellini, the Italian Ambassador, said the consultation was aimed at evolving a system under which the visas would be issued speedily to executives of companies recommended by the two Indian industry bodies.

The Embassy, he told a meeting organised by the Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, would also consider issuing visas for longer duration.

Responding to appeals by industry representatives that getting a visa to Italy was time consuming and that applicants had to travel to the Italian Consulate in Mumbai, Dr. Armellini said the embassy had out-sourced the work in seven cities across the country.

VFS, located at Italy Visa Centre on 3/2, College Lane, Nungambakkam (Tel: 52149394) had been entrusted with the job in Chennai. The out-sourcing centre, he added, would guide the applicants on the documents that need to be enclosed, collect the fees and send the papers to the Mumbai office. On receipt of the visa from the Consulate, it would inform the applicants.

The move would ensure that applicants did not have to go to Mumbai, he added.

Listing the initiatives, Dr. Armellini, on his first visit to Chennai after assuming the office, said the focus was making the procedure "much easier and transparent."

Noting that he was scheduled to meet the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Monday, he said there was a lot of scope to improve bilateral ties between both nations, and increase Indian investment in Italy.

Italy had expertise in the fields of infrastructure, agro-business, food processing and waste disposal, he said, pointing out that Italy viewed India and China as strategic business partners in Asia.

N. Shafeeq Ahmed, President of the Indian Shoe Federation, said about 15 Italian companies have shown interest in the proposed shoe components manufacturing facility on 25 acres in Irungattukottai.

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