23 July 2026 – After more than three weeks of disruption, Indian passport, visa, OCI, and consular services have officially resumed across Australia through VFS Global’s upgraded Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs). The restart comes as welcome news for thousands of Indian nationals, students, families, and travellers whose applications were delayed following the suspension of services on 1 July 2026.
VFS Global Reopens Services Nationwide
The High Commission of India in Canberra has confirmed that VFS Global will once again serve as the authorised provider of Indian Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) services in Australia from 23 July 2026. The reopening follows legal proceedings in India that temporarily affected the outsourcing arrangements for consular services.
To improve service delivery and accommodate growing demand, VFS Global has launched upgraded application centres in six major Australian cities. The new facilities are expected to offer enhanced infrastructure, increased appointment availability, expanded staffing, and improved customer support services.
New VFS Global Centre Locations
Applicants can now access services at the following locations:
- Melbourne: Ground Floor, 324 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3004
- Sydney: Level 9, 22–24 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000
- Canberra: Level 6, 40 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra ACT 2601
- Brisbane: Suite 0201, Level 2, 127 Creek Street, Brisbane City QLD 4000
- Perth: Ground Floor, 23 Barrack Street, Perth WA 6000
- Adelaide: Suite 8.01, Level 8, 111 Gawler Place, Adelaide SA 5000
Why Were Services Suspended?
Services were suspended on 1 July 2026 following a legal dispute relating to the Ministry of External Affairs’ tender process for outsourced consular services. The situation left many applicants unable to renew passports, apply for visas, obtain Police Clearance Certificates (PCCs), or process OCI applications during a peak travel period.
Following court decisions and interim arrangements, VFS Global has now resumed operations, bringing much-needed relief to affected applicants across Australia.
Enhanced Services for Applicants
The upgraded centres will provide several customer-focused improvements, including:
- Increased counter capacity and staffing levels.
- Greater appointment availability.
- Extended submission and collection facilities.
- Courier delivery services for documents.
- SMS application tracking updates.
- On-site photo and photocopying services.
- Multilingual customer support and AI-powered assistance tools.
Operating Hours
All VFS Global centres will operate from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday, excluding Australian public holidays and holidays observed by the High Commission of India and relevant Consulates General. Applicants are encouraged to book appointments online before attending the centres.
Looking Ahead
The resumption of services marks a significant step toward clearing the backlog of applications accumulated during the suspension period. For thousands of Indian Australians and travellers requiring passport renewals, visa processing, OCI services, and other consular assistance, the reopening of VFS Global centres brings certainty and renewed access to essential services.
As operations resume, applicants are advised to check the official VFS Global Australia portal for appointment availability, service updates, and processing information.