Indian nationals and Australian residents seeking travel documents face major disruption after outsourcing provider VFS Global halted Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) services nationwide from 1 July 2026. The company confirmed the suspension in a public notice that remained in force on 3 July, while Indian diplomatic missions advised applicants to await further guidance. The stoppage affects nine centres in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra and means no new passport renewals, visa sticker applications, OCI conversions or Police Clearance Certificates can be lodged. Passports already submitted are being held in secure storage but cannot be returned until operations resume. Emergency travel certificates will be issued directly by consulates in life-and-death situations. Industry sources told SBS Hindi that the hiatus stems from a delayed contract-renewal tender and a related court challenge in India—a claim neither VFS nor the Ministry of External Affairs would confirm. Whatever the reason, the impact is immediate: nearly 700 passport files per day and hundreds of paper-visa applications are now in limbo. Mobility advisers are urging companies to pivot to India’s e-Visa system for short business trips and to monitor MEA updates for contingency drop-boxes or courier returns of trapped passports. Employers with Indian assignees in Australia should review right-to-work documents and consider early bridging-visa renewals, as workers cannot travel offshore until their passports are released. Consulates have hinted that an interim provider could be appointed, but insiders predict at least a two-week gap. Travellers with firm departure dates in July are advised to re-book or seek urgent on-arrival visas in exceptional cases. The episode also highlights the vulnerability of mission-critical mobility processes to single-supplier outsourcing models.
Source: VFS Global / SBS Hindi
