Indian consular, passport and visa services in Australia resume operations on 23 July 2026, ending a suspension that began on 1 July and disrupted thousands of applicants during the peak school holiday travel period.
The Indian High Commission in Australia confirmed that VFS Global will deliver Indian Consular, Passport and Visa services from upgraded Indian Consular Application Centres in six Australian cities from that date. The announcement follows the Supreme Court of India’s ruling upholding the Delhi High Court’s decision to set aside the Ministry of External Affairs’ original tender process, and its direct order that services be maintained during the transition to a fresh tender.
The six new centres are located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. VFS Global remains the only authorised service delivery provider for Indian consular, passport and visa services in Australia.
Where the new centres are located
The Indian High Commission confirmed the following addresses for the six upgraded Indian Consular Application Centres opening on 23 July 2026.
| City | Address |
|---|---|
| Adelaide | Suite 8.01, Level 8, 111 Gawler Place, Adelaide SA 5000 |
| Brisbane | Suite 0201, Level 2, 127 Creek Street, Brisbane City QLD 4000 |
| Canberra | Level 6, 40 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra ACT 2601 |
| Melbourne | Ground Floor, 324 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3004 |
| Perth | Ground Floor, 23 Barrack Street, Perth WA 6000 |
| Sydney | Level 9, 22-24 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000 |
All six centres will operate from 8.30am to 4.00pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays and holidays declared by the High Commission of India or the relevant Consulate General.
Why these centres, and why now
These are the same six Indian Consular Application Centres that VFS Global had originally prepared to open on 1 July 2026, under the renewed contract it was awarded in April. That rollout was frozen when the new contract became caught up in unrelated litigation over a separate tender dispute in the UAE, leading to the complete suspension of services in Australia from 1 July.
The Delhi High Court’s 15 July ruling found the MEA’s technical evaluation of that tender process unconstitutional and voided the contracts awarded under it, including VFS Global’s renewed Australian contract. The Supreme Court subsequently upheld that finding and directly ordered the MEA and Engineers India Limited to maintain services during the transition to a fresh tender process, which the Court indicated should be completed within approximately three months.
The centres opening on 23 July are therefore operating under an interim arrangement permitted by the courts, not under the voided contract itself. VFS Global continues as the incumbent service provider while the fresh tender process is conducted.
What is an Indian Consular Application Centre?
What is an Indian Consular Application Centre?
An Indian Consular Application Centre, or ICAC, is a facility operated by an outsourced service provider on behalf of Indian diplomatic missions to process visa, passport, OCI and other consular applications. In Australia, VFS Global operates these centres on behalf of the High Commission of India in Canberra and the Consulates General in other major cities. Applicants submit documents, provide biometrics where required, and collect processed passports and visas through these centres, rather than at the diplomatic mission itself. The centres do not make visa or citizenship decisions; those decisions remain with the Indian mission. The centre’s role is limited to processing, document handling and customer service.
What services are covered
The upgraded centres are designed to handle the full range of CPV services previously available: Indian visa applications for those travelling to India, Indian passport renewals and fresh applications, OCI card applications and updates, and other consular services including police clearance certificates.
The High Commission’s announcement describes the new centres as offering upgraded facilities and infrastructure designed to meet current service requirements and the growing demand for CPV services in Australia. This reflects the scale of demand the contract is designed to handle: the Australian CPV contract was reported to process more than 220,000 applications annually across passports, visas, OCI cards and other consular services before the suspension.
What applicants need to do
Applicants are encouraged to schedule appointments online before visiting any of the six centres, rather than attending without a booking. Appointments and further information are available through the official VFS Global Australia portal at services.vfsglobal.com/aus/en/ind.
For applicants whose passports or documents were held by VFS Global at the time of the 1 July suspension, or whose applications were pending when services stopped, confirm the status of your specific application directly through the VFS Global portal or by contacting the centre in your city once operations resume. Given that the contract handles over 220,000 applications a year, and services were suspended for more than three weeks during a peak travel period, a period of catch-up processing should be expected even after the centres reopen on 23 July.
What this means for Indian-Australians going forward
The reopening resolves the immediate practical disruption that began on 1 July, but it does not resolve the underlying legal question. VFS Global is operating under an interim arrangement while the Supreme Court-ordered fresh tender process proceeds, expected to conclude within approximately three months. Whether VFS Global retains the Australian contract permanently depends on the outcome of that fresh tender, in which it will need to compete again alongside the other bidders from the original process, including BLS E-Services, IVS Global, DU Digital, Verasys and E Trav Tech.
For now, applicants can resume booking appointments for Indian passport, visa and OCI services in Australia from 23 July 2026, at the six upgraded centres listed above.
What Indian-Australians need to know before booking
Can I book an appointment now for after 23 July?
Check the VFS Global Australia portal directly at services.vfsglobal.com/aus/en/ind for current booking availability. The High Commission’s announcement confirms services resume from that date, but specific appointment slot availability should be confirmed directly through the official booking portal.
My application was pending when services were suspended on 1 July. What happens to it now?
Contact VFS Global directly once the centre in your city reopens to confirm the status of your specific application. Given the volume of applications affected by the three-week suspension, processing delays should be expected even after services resume.
Is VFS Global’s position as the service provider now permanent?
No. VFS Global is operating under an interim arrangement permitted by the Supreme Court while a fresh, court-compliant tender process is conducted for the Australian CPV contract. The Court has indicated that process should conclude within approximately three months. The outcome of that fresh tender will determine the long-term service provider.
Does this affect my Australian visa or migration application?
No. Australian visa applications are lodged through ImmiAccount and decided by the Department of Home Affairs, which has no connection to VFS Global’s India-specific consular contract. This dispute and its resolution affect only Indian-side services: Indian visas, Indian passport renewals, OCI cards and related consular services.
What if I need urgent consular assistance before 23 July?
Contact the High Commission of India in Canberra directly for guidance on emergency consular assistance in the days before the centres reopen.
