The department of Home Affairs, Australia has appointed VFS Global to provide biometric collection services for Sub-Saharan Africa, VFS Global said in a statement on Wednesday.
- •The Sub-Saharan Africa region includes seven countries in total with Australian Biometric Collection Centre services to be rolled out at 12 locations in 13 countries by February 2025.
- •This includes setting up Centres in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
This is in addition to the seven regions awarded in August 2023 to provide biometric collection services –the Americas, Mekong, Middle East and North Africa, North Asia, Pacific, South Asia and Southeast Asia.
“We will continue to work closely with VFS Global to ensure the delivery of high-quality biometric collection and visa support services for our visa applicants worldwide,” Anthony Phillips, Director Offshore Service Delivery Partners Section, Department of Home Affairs, said.
In Australia’s 2021 census, there were more than 17, 000 people in the country who were born in Kenya. Migration escalated after 2000, and includes both native Kenyans and other Africans born in Kenya. Almost half of the migrant population hold a university degree or higher, the statistics body found.
“Under the Department’s guidance, we will continue to elevate the experience of Australian applicants across the world,”Jiten Vyas, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Business Development, VFS Global, added.