Belgium Opens New Visa Application Center in Rabat
Doha – Belgium inaugurated on Thursday a new center for processing visa applications in Rabat. The facility, located at TLS-Millenium Business Centre, complements an existing center in Casablanca, expanding services for Moroccan visa applicants.
The opening ceremony was attended by several officials, including Joris Salden, Director General of Consular Affairs for Belgium's Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, along with Gilles Heyvaert, Belgium's Ambassador to Morocco, and Bassem Missaoui, TLS Contact's Director General for North and West Africa.
In his address, Salden noted that the new center represents an important step in improving access to consular services. He stated that his mission within consular diplomacy is to ensure transparent, professional, reliable, and accessible service.
'This center aligns perfectly with our strategy to bring our services closer to citizens,' Salden said. He explained that the Rabat TLS center will initially be dedicated exclusively to students to simplify the visa application process for those pursuing education in Belgium.
'We are pleased to welcome these students for high-quality training in Belgium, which helps strengthen the historical ties between our two countries,' he added.
Previously, students enrolled in higher education programs in Belgium had to visit the embassy in Rabat to complete a study questionnaire and travel to Casablanca to submit their applications. Now, students can complete all procedures in Rabat on the same day: file submission at TLS Rabat, followed by a questionnaire at the Belgian Embassy.
'From now on, a single procedure will be sufficient, which represents a significant simplification of the process,' Salden pointed out.
He went on to explain that implementing a digitalization system allows for more efficient processing of applications, while requiring a new work approach based on dedicated software and digital infrastructure.
Ambassador Heyvaert stated that this initiative aims 'above all to guarantee quality services and ensure applications are processed within reasonable timeframes.'
The ambassador noted that 'Morocco is a strategic country for Belgium, just as Belgium holds a strategic position for Morocco,' continuing that visa policy 'is part of the relationship framework that helps strengthen ties between the two countries.'
Missaoui of TLS Contact recalled that since 2016, TLS has proudly worked with Belgium to collect visa applications, initially in Casablanca. 'Today marks an expansion of operations,' he said.
The company is committed to ensuring optimal reception conditions that match the high service standards and quality of welcome it intends to offer visa applicants, Missaoui affirmed.
The Belgian Embassy in Morocco processes more than 20,000 visa applications annually, a figure that continues to rise.
Read also: France Expands Consular Services to Morocco's Southern Provinces
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