GOED Foundation: Report complaints about VFS Global to us
The GOED Foundation, an organization that helps Dutch people abroad, collects complaints about the commercial company VFS Global.
This company takes care of the processing of applications for a short-stay Schengen visa for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in several countries. VFS Global also has an office in Bangkok, in 'The Plaza' shopping center in the Chamchuri Square Building on Phayathai Road.
There have already been several complaints about the company VFS Global, which are being submitted to the National Ombudsman and to Netherlands Worldwide (part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). These complaints often concern problems with making appointments, outdated online systems, poor telephone service, incorrect or incomplete information about visas, long waiting times and requests for irrelevant documents.
Netherlands Worldwide collects these complaints and forwards them to VFS Global. If a complaint is not resolved properly after treatment, the Netherlands Worldwide will intervene further. This organization also monitors the rules and processing times for short-stay visas. The service providers only receive and digitally forward requests to The Hague. The passports remain at the embassy in the country until the visa process is completed.
The GOED Foundation would like to hear the experiences of Dutch people abroad, both good and bad. They do not handle complaints themselves, but pass them on to Netherlands Worldwide or the National Ombudsman. You can do that report here.
You should see this as an extra barrier set up by the Dutch government. Nothing more and nothing less than that. An appointment must be made. People have to travel from all over the country all the way to Bangkok where only documents are scanned and then assessed in the Netherlands. It is ultimately determined there whether someone will receive an entry visa.
This system only increases costs. Because all documents are scanned, this can easily be arranged by means of video calling. Then no one will have to travel across the country to ultimately appear in Bangkok for an organization that only receives, digitizes and sends documents.
Of course this would be a bit easier digitally.
Still, I don't think that much has changed?
I remember about 12 years ago that my current girlfriend came to the Netherlands for the first time, so she still had to go to the NL Embassy with all the paperwork and had a short interview (VFS Global also does that now) there. I think the assessment was done by the Dutch Embassy? After 1 days, her passport with tourist visa sticker was already in Korat.
A Canadian acquaintance of mine (married to a Thai woman) wanted to take her son and girlfriend to Canada (lived there for 6 months and here for 6 months) and so they also had to go to VSB Global where the son and girlfriend were interviewed. Everything went well and neatly. I think there are also different 'branches' for different countries?
Why only complaints.
Excellent organization, fast, knowledgeable and friendly
Had no problems