Indian passport, visa services now in nine more cities in Oman

Muscat: Indian expats living outside of Muscat can now get passport and visa services closer to their homes.
Earlier, overseas Indians who lived in cities in the interior of Oman had to travel to Muscat to get the services. But now, they can get their passport and visa work done at a reputed exchange house.
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) had to come down to the BLS International office in Muscat before. BLS was the only agent authorised by the Indian embassy to provide passport and visa services to Indians in Oman.
Now, Global Money Exchange Company LLC has joined hands with BLS International to extend the services through nine selected branches of Global Money Exchange in as many cities.
The facility will be provided at nine branches of Global Money Exchange in Salalah, Sur, Sohar, Shinas, Nizwa, Ibri, Duqm, Kazab and Buraimi, right now.
Under this arrangement, Global Money Exchange branches will be accepting applications and related documents from Indian nationals for renewal of their passports and new passport applications of their children. The passport renewal fees will also be collected along with the application.
The collected applications will be sent to BLS International for onward processing at the Indian Embassy.
Global Exchange CEO R Madhusoodanan said: “It will be especially beneficial for the working class Indian expats in the interior of Oman, as they can’t afford to travel to Muscat, pay for travel and miss a day’s work and wages.”
P Kannan Nair, Second Secretary (consular section), Indian Embassy Muscat, inaugurated the service on Sunday.
K S Subromoniyan, MD of Global Money Exchange, said, “We consider the association as a recognition of our services in the remittance business for the last one-and-a-half decades in the country.” “This will benefit more than seven lakh Indian expats,” he added. Madhusoodanan reiterated the company’s commitments to its customers.
“This is another feather in the cap of the company. More such new initiatives are on the anvil and awaiting approvals at various levels. A few more branches in remote locations will also be added during the year. It is a value addition for us to tell people that we offer passport and visa services as well. For BLS, it would be making use of our reach and competence,” he said.
“Besides, we have made the remittance to the Kerala Chief Minister’s relief fund for free. This facility continues and is available at all our branches. The employees also contributed to the fund,” he added.
Remittance services at airports
Currently, the company has 46 locations in Oman. Global Exchange has recently started its remittance business at the Muscat airport, which is in addition to the existing currency exchange operations. The company will also be offering similar services at the upcoming Duqm International Airport shortly upon the receipt of approvals.