Ministry of External Affairs to set up Videsh Bhavan in all states

In a major announcement, Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Sunday said that Videsh Bhavan would be set up in all states – which would be a umbrella centre for all services related to the foreign ministry.

“We will set up Videsh Bhavan in all state capitals. These will be one-stop centres to provide all facilities given by MEA departments,” Swaraj said inaugurating the pilot Videsh Bhavan in Mumbai in presence of Minister of State for External Affairs, Gen (Retd) Dr VK Singh and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The Videsh Bhavan of Mumbai is located at the Bandra-Kurla Complex.

Four offices of MEA in Mumbai, namely, Passport Office, Office of the Protector of Emigrants, Office of the Regional Director of ICCR, and  Branch Secretariat of MEA, has been integrated and will be functioning from the newly constructed Videsh Bhavan.

The Passport Office at Thane has been merged with the Passport Office at Mumbai and the merged offices is functioning at Videsh Bhavan. The Passport Seva Kendras (PSK) at Thane, Thane-II and Nashik will, however, continue to function from the existing premises of these PSK but will be brought under the administrative jurisdiction of the Passport Office at Mumbai.

The Videsh Bhavan at Mumbai is the first integrated office complex of the Ministry of External Affairs established in any State of India.