As we explained in our recent article, customer expectations are evolving rapidly across all sectors, and visa services are no exception. Today’s travellers, whether tourists, professionals, or students, are looking for a more personalised, flexible experience that aligns with their schedules and circumstances. That can be a challenge for a traditionally standardised process such as a visa application, which often requires in-person biometric enrolment at a visa application centre that may be far from where applicants live or work.
Governments are increasingly aware of the limitations of this approach and are exploring solutions to make the process more convenient and inclusive. One such innovation is an “on-demand” visa service — allowing applicants to complete essential parts of the visa process at a location of their choice.
At TLScontact, we have developed the Apply Anywhere service to meet this demand: a flexible, customer-centric solution that brings the visa application process directly to applicants — wherever they are.
How does Apply Anywhere work?
The Apply Anywhere service begins with a simple online request via our website*. Applicants interested in the service are then contacted by our local team to arrange a suitable day, time, and location for their appointment. The chosen location can be their home, a hotel, office, or any other appropriate venue.
On the agreed day, qualified agents travel to the selected location, carrying secure mobile biometric enrolment equipment. All data is captured and transferred securely using an encrypted VPN connection, ensuring the highest standards of privacy and security.
In addition, applicants can opt to have their passports returned directly to them by secure courier* after the visa decision is made, for further convenience.
*The Apply Anywhere process varies from one country to another, depending on local operational and legal constraints.
Who is this service for?
Apply Anywhere is designed to meet the needs of a wide variety of visa customers. For busy business travellers, the convenience of an at-home or in-office appointment can save valuable hours that would otherwise be spent travelling to and from a visa application centre.
It’s also an interesting solution for families, groups, and organisations such as sports teams or tour operators. Instead of coordinating multiple individual appointments, Apply Anywhere enables everyone in the group to enrol their biometrics on the same day and in the same place, often at a lower overall cost.
We are already seeing the value of the service in multiple markets:
- In Southeast Asia, Apply Anywhere supports visa applications for France, including scheduled “clinics” advertised in advance for specific cities. These are particularly interesting in a country such as Indonesia, made up of multiple islands, where it can be complicated for customers to travel to our visa application centre in Jakarta to submit their application.
- In the UK, it is used by groups, high-net-worth individuals, and corporate clients looking for a premium, streamlined experience for both their Schengen visa applications and applications for UK visa renewals or citizenship.
- In North Africa, we are currently rolling out the service for France in Morocco and Tunisia, to complement our existing network of centres, expand our geographic reach and improve customer experience.
A more personalised visa experience
The Apply Anywhere service enhances the visa application experience by providing added reassurance, convenience, and personalised support. It meets modern customer expectations by offering more choice and control, helping applicants navigate a critical process with greater ease and confidence.