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- 1 VFS Home Affairs South Africa
- 2 South Africa Visa Eligibility Evaluation
- 2.1 VFS GLOBAL History
- 2.2 VFS GLOBAL Landmarks
- 2.3 VFS GLOBAL Awards & Recognition
- 2.4 VFS GLOBAL Controversy
- 2.5 VFS GLOBAL & Home Affairs South Africa
- 2.6 FIPSA against VFS GLOBAL in South Africa
- 2.7 VFS GLOBAL Organization, Dominance and Monopoly
- 2.8 Vision & Mission
VFS Home Affairs South Africa
Official Home Affairs announcement of partnership between South Africa Department of Home Affairs with the VFS GLOBAL came to us in these words which we are quoting here:
"Department of Home Affairs is pleased to announce the opening of Visa & Permit Facilitation Centres in 9 provinces and 11 cities within South Africa. Visa and Permit applications will be accepted across these 11 centres in South Africa. These applications will be assessed by Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria. Non-South Africans with a legal residency permit in South Africa can apply for a visa or permit at these centres."
VFS Global is an international outsourcing and technology services' specialist for authorities and diplomatic missions world-wide. The organization handles' visa issuance-associated administrative and non-judgmental jobs and services, standing as middlemen between the visa applicant and embassy (decision maker and issuer) . The primary jobs performed by VFS are file listing record collection, file forwarding and approval on behalf of its own customer authorities.
London based VFS Global is a fully owned subsidiary company of the Kuoni Group (which, likewise, possesses Kuoni Travel), a public-listed company headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.
VFS Global serves consular sections of diplomatic missions by giving administrative support: The firm offers biometrics services, including single tenancy and multi-mission/bureau options; and operation options, including operations' support, information dissemination, examination and approval of records, phone and email help lines, collection and remittance of fees, biometrics registration,info reconciliation, database creation, entry to the mission, appointment scheduling, and return delivery of passports. VFS Global additionally supplies services such as committed visa application centers and sites, combined visa application centers,waiting courier pick-up services, on-line appointment scheduling facilities and sofas. It performs jobs that are non judgmental associated with the visa application procedure, empowering the missions to concentrate on the essential jobs of decision making and evaluation. With operations in 83 nations across five continents as on 30 June 2012 and 708 Visa Application Centers, VFS Global serves the interests of the diplomatic missions of 38 sovereign authorities. On behalf of its clients VFS Global manages over ) (contracted per annum through its ISO certified[3] Visa Application Centers.
South Africa Visa Eligibility Evaluation
South Africa Immigration facilitates the South African visa procedure from beginning to finish. Our services include applications for Immigration to South Africa, and we also offer other ancillary move services. Applying for a change of standing in South Africa, whether extending your visa or beginning a company, our trained immigration consultants are on hand to assist. The visas that we assist with are: Work, Business, Retirement, Study, Family, Spouse and Life Partner Visas, Permanent Residency applications and Citizenship.
You will be reached within 24 hours by one of our Immigration Agents for South Africa, once you leave your inquiry.
VFS GLOBAL History
VFS Global was created in 2001 as a specialist Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) bureau, to serve immigration authorities and diplomatic missions to ease the visa application processes on the planet. The business started on the initiative of the US State Department in Mumbai, India, when it was not able to deal with the crowds outside the embassy to help the US Embassy there.
VFS GLOBAL Landmarks
— UK starts new Visa Application Centers in Mumbai[4]
— First of the UK's type Visa Application Center for Five Nations Summit (5CC) found in Singapore[5]
— Government of Austria and VFS Global Start Austria Visa Application Center in Erbil, Iraq[6][7]
— VFS Global starts first Visa Application Center in Pskov[8]
— VFS Global and Germany inaugurate Visa Application Center in Mumbai[9]
— VFS Global observes 75 million applications landmark by supporting staff to volunteer work time[10]
— Observing success the CSR manner[11]
— VFS Global acquires Denmark as well as the Netherlands international contracts[12]
— VFS Global acquires crucial Saudi Arabian government visa services contract[13][14]
— Modernized guidance – fresh commercial associate VFS Global for UK visa applications in Colombia[15]
— UK revives 2 Visa Application Centers; open in Mumbai[16]
— Tradition walk for expats organized by VFS Global[17]
Remarkable Contracts
Lately the firm gained some significant contracts, which further complements its present portfolio of accounts. As an outcome of its own dedication is expanding to exceptional service delivery.
— VFS Global acquires crucial Saudi-Arabian government visa services contract[13][14]
— modernized guidance – New commercial associate VFS Global for UK visa applications in Colombia[18]
— UK revives two Visa Application Centers; open in Mumbai[19]
VFS GLOBAL Awards & Recognition
The business has constantly reinvented itself over the last few years and has a host of accolades and awards to its credit. The acknowledgement received from the Industry's customers, and it make the business the most trustworthy suppliers of technology and outsourcing services to authorities.
— VFS Global awarded the 'Capgemini Direction Award for Innovation 2012 [20][21]
— Zubin Karkaria conferred Journey Entrepreneur of the Decade Award in Dubai[22] at ETAA Convention
— VFS Global triumphs 'Service Provider of the Year' award[23]
— VFS Global win Dubai Quality Appreciation Award[24]
VFS GLOBAL Controversy
In May 2007, it was reported that the business was connected UK visa application system was flawed. It was, likewise, reported that connected applications had changed from Nigeria, India and Russia. The VFS website was instantly shut down after the technical issue was brought to the eye of the UK media[26], and an impartial government investigation was started by the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO).
The security violation was initially reported by an Indian applicant[28] in December 2005 after which no successful remedial action was taken by either VFS or UK visas, the joint Home Office and Foreign & Commonwealth Office unit, which run the UK's visa service through British diplomatic posts abroad. The exact same applicant went public in May 2007 after he found that his earlier warnings were ignored. It's projected this security violation resulted in about 50,000 applicants' identities having been potentially endangered until its May 2007 closing, following the media outcry. The report of the investigation by the Independent Investigator, Linda Costelloe Baker emphasized organizational failures by both UK visas and VFS. The report also urged that the VFS hooked up visa applications not be restarted for applications from India. The risk-free on-line applications made accessible by the Visa4UK official government web sites of the UK Border Agency have since replaced this. Baker additionally said in the report that following this event, UK visas ran extensive testing and discovered no evidence that data was stolen or abused. VFS underestimated what was essential to be able to safeguard private data for the amounts anticipated by the UK Data Protections Act. Following this event, several visa application amount checks were set in place. Technical procedures were additionally updated afterwards to assess the records of the on-line application website. Conflict of interest and ethical problems related to outsourcing border control to private companies exist. The UK government has come under intense criticism for its recent treatment of visas, mentioning benefits and welfare use as the reason, while concurrently paying citizen funds to outsourcing firms located in other nations to manage those same visas. There may even be problems with the protection of citizens on account of how private companies can refuse entrance and services to premises, giving brief chance to defend those citizens to them. When seeing a vfs global website, you may not record the session. Whatever goes on there's lost in the mists of time, giving fleeting legal recourse for those unfairly handled. In November 2007, the UK Information Commissioner's Office declared that it had found the Foreign Office in violation of its own duties under the Data Protection Act 1998. The Information Commissioner's Office required the Foreign Office to sign a statement it would obey the Data Protection Act and wouldn't reopen the VFS UK visa on-line facility. It's been reported by The Guardian[36] that as an outcome of the opinion, the Foreign Office would review its relationship with VFS and seek to significantly reduce its work that was outsourced, particularly in the region of IT. Therefore, applicants from India now have to apply at the Visa4UK official government site for visa applications that are online.
VFS introduced various measures to make sure secure and safe business environment following the report was issued. One of them was to make all its centers ISO compliant.
However, as this event several authorities have been critical of VFS Global's skills and have raised concerns over security."there is the liability problem, the secrecy problem and why are we outsourcing to a for the profit things something which goes in the security mandate?" requested Victor Wong, executive director of the Chinese Canadian National Council.
Liam Clifford of international visas, a migration guidance firm, told The Sunday Telegraph: "Once you place this work in the hands of private companies abroad, you no longer have the exact same protection."
The controversy over information disclosure was not especially easy for the British Government which was still recuperating from the NHS Medical Training Application Service scandal, an online service that had to be frozen following reports of a security violation that is similar.
VFS GLOBAL & Home Affairs South Africa
Immigration Controversy in South Africa
So much amusing that it gets really bitter for many talk about, and to debate on, notice. Anything that the Helen Zille's DA does not point out, afterwards it is fine; subsequently, it isn't contentious and does not deserve our utmost attention. Anything that this ANC-Ninja-Governed Government doe's get the burst on it is not safe, as same would have pointed out.
This country's bureaucratic sections are the most inept in the world. And since anything in this country could be purchased by MONEY, yes: MONEY, then many don't notice the level of absurdity in which this nation turns into – day-after-day-after-day. I mean: Cash in this country can buy you anything, including: Liberty, Justice, Equality, Health, Services, Clean Air, Well-Being, longer Life, Entertainment, etc.
takes the Department of Home Affairs, for example. This section is among the worst in the world. Their service deliveries are some of the worst in the world. Their level of competency is really low, corruption is hiking. Foolish, new policies are being canonized daily. The rudeness in its staff is apparent, as well as the list goes on.
Just few months ago, following the insane, inept, incompetent and self-centered Malusi Gigaba replaced the owlish Naledi Pandor, he altered nearly every policy – especially to foreigners (despite whether you're from other parts of this so called "dark continent" of ours or not). And not only has he put the nation's Tourism, Film and Television, and Transportation sectors at jeopardy, but he's proving to be the: CAPITALIST of the YEAR!
In case you have found, Malusi Gigaba has turned the "management" of the foreigners' documentations into a private, corporate firm, namely: VFS Global Services Private Company Limited (http://www.vfsglobal.com/dha/southafrica/index.html). What this company does is that it only takes over the everyday "management" tasks – which were previously done (awfully) by the Home Affairs, and "commodify" the foreigners.
I am pretty confident Gigaba had a reduction in this billion-rand deal – so is Zuma – VFS Global from this corporate company,
Formerly: the management fee, as a student from a different country, to apply for an STUDY LICENSE in South Africa was just R425, although this cheap cost came with a bundle of badly paid and angry Home Affairs staffs – who'd treat you like an animal, ensure you a hell-day with them, but eventually process your file to the DHA's Pretoria Headquarters – for approval.
And now with VFS: you will receive a "human, international" experience with esteem and competency, although this includes the huge prize of: R1775 (that is: the Home Affairs real fee R425 with the VFS fee of R1350). Please refer here for more: http:// www. vfsglobal .com /dha/southafrica/study_visa.html. And if you want to get a "Premium Lounge" with "personalized services": well, this can cost you R500 more. What a terrific method to make money in South Africa. Every individual I know wants to reach this kind of clever deal with Gigaba, and to get owned the VFS.
Based on the Statistics South Africa, about 15378 Study Permits were issued in the academic year: 2013 independently, (read here to find out more on the numbers of the permits being issued yearly.
We the same amount and at many departments of Home Affairs' making, how the VFS Company be STUDY solely, well the licenses – "" jobs alone, nothing else.
Remember: there are 9 more types of permits issued in our nation. So, we will take the entire figure for the STUDY PERMIT and time it by the nine other kinds of permits, namely: Visitors permit, Work permit. Relatives permit, Company permit, Medical Permit, Waiver Permit, Retired Persons Permit, Treaty Permit, and Exchange Permit (which is mostly used for Europeans and North Americans), to get the actual cash the DHA and VFS make.
Okay: here is the simple Math… was the Home Affairs used to make per annum on the STUDY LICENSES alone:
The above is simply the administration fee. The inept Department of Home Affairs has other fees, medical fee such as the repatriation fee, etc…. has the Department of Home Affairs made yearly on all the permits?
Okay. So, far so good. And I expect we are on exactly the same page.
How much is the Home Affairs made on STUDY PERMITS alone, after the VFS Global contracted as of June, 2014?
R425 X 15378 = R 6 535 650. (More or less the same)
How much is the corporate VFS global will be making on STUDY LICENSES alone?
How much will the Department of Home Affairs make on All the Permits?
R6 535 650 X 9 = R 58 820 850.00 (More or less the same)
How much will the VFS global make the permits on ALL?
Look at those figures. I mean: WOW! These guys are money-makers.
And all of this hustle for what? A complete "human" encounter? A smile? Someone to hold a door for you as you walks in? A descent conversation with the DHA staff? A competent service? I mean: what's this nation turned into?
And why nobody is debating the "ethical" issues surrounding the commercialization of basic service delivery in this country?
FIPSA against VFS GLOBAL in South Africa
As the VFS Global application system in Africa seem to set for the failure – Can the VFS visa centers, employed the South Department of Home Affairs – FIPSA steps in with demand?
On behalf of FIPSA, Rod said, " freshly employed Permit Facilitation centres and with system difficulties and insufficiently trained staff and or proper guidance before execution of the systems, that including the failure to do the 'trial and evaluation' in smaller offices, is adding to their pressure."
FIPSA has been inundated with calls and queries from migrants experiencing delays that were undue within their visa applications, long waits at systems and VFS Global centres that aren't correctly programmed leaving information differences in visa application instruction manual.
Knowledge of immigration laws also seems to be seriously lacking with abundant reports of misinformation of visa applicants by VFS Global. One such case is that of Gift Chakaipa, who was mistakenly advised when she should have been advised to apply for an extension of her spousal visa to apply for permanent residency. Another controversial issue is the appointment of Home Affairs staff member, Ziphora Sinekoane, who was acting as home affairs' chief director Jack Monedi's personal assistant.
Earlier this year, the Department of Home Affairs declared that 11 Visa and Permit Facilitation centers would be opened in nine South African provinces. Visa applications would continue to be assessed by the Department of home Affairs in Pretoria but non-South Africans using a lawful residency permit in South Africa can put in an application for a visa or permit at these centers. There aren't any guidelines for refugees, for example, Zimbabwe nationals on Specific Dispensation for Zimbabweans Project, Asylum and Refugee cases about how these applications are processed via VHS offices. Checklists usually do not make provision for … Furthermore, it seems that the Section has outsourced the services, and as they claimed, "Streamlining the services" … at present at a price to the customer. Over time, the Department rendered this services FREE of CHARGE and due to an obvious inability to manage systems properly, they at the moment are delivering the taking of applications JUST to a private organization! However, there's no GUARANTEE that the permit will soon be issued quicker, more accurately or even so … at all!
In June, media reports of delays at these centers started pouring in with newspaper headlines painting a gloomy picture of the VFS system. Tourists and business people were facing frustrating delays in getting their visas, which often stretched to a delay as long as 30 days for something that is designed to be delivered within five days. This caused the cancellation of as many as 60% of tours to South Africa – a huge whack to the tourism sector which relies on every cent during the South Africa winter season.
Business Day lives reported on 25 June" "Immigration professionals who claim the brand-new immigration laws gazetted by the Department of Home Affairs will place immigration bureau workers out of work marched to the department's Johannesburg regional office on Wednesday to hand over a memorandum".
"This is only the latest case where professionals have challenged the knotty laws. The spic-and-span immigration regulations also have started concern among foreigners visiting, living and working in South Africa, and legal professionals are besides planning to challenge the laws."
The bran-new law which came into effect on 26 May has among other complications' barred visitors from reviewing or changing their visa status while they are in the country, where they live as they would have to do this in the state.
Contrary to popular belief, not all folks have a positive image of SA, and they must see if SA would meet their requirements and expectations in respect of company and skilled individuals, considering that we've elevated rates of reported crime in the electronic media.
This flammable situation has left tens of thousands of people trapped inside and outside country boundary's and have been left in the dark with nowhere to turn as not one of the government associations or even VFS Global are willing (or able) to help.
Another weighty concern raised in the memorandum presented to the Department of Home Affairs is the serious risk VFS Global's employment presents to those employed by immigration companies and the survival of them.
The memorandum also requested that the department revises and debates the new laws and permits for a grace period of 12 months to allow parties changed to make the needed adjustments to their status.
The exact same media report states that VFS Global does not possess the crucial understanding of immigration law to ease applications economically.
It appears that VFS Global's system isn't all it promised to be.
"The present VFS Global infrastructure seems to be competent to handle merely a quarter of the applications it was used to manage. Set appointments with consultants are grossly delayed with applicants waiting in line for up to four hours," included Maxwell.
In light of the difficulties experienced at VFS Global with visa processing is seemed that migrants would be in a better position by continuing to apply for their visas through immigration professionals registered with FIPSA. With VFS, applicants must navigate through a myriad of complicated laws to make their choices and nominate their category. Compounding matters is that VFS will take any records furnished by the client causing lots of incomplete applications that will result in rejections. The customer has a view they have complied with new visa regulations in making the application. Imagine the shock and disappointment to a client, when the visa is rejected through an administrative procedure due to lack of supporting files.
FIPSA is a professional body that has started a procedure for holding immigration professionals to a high degree of business professionalism and responsible and has been tracking and controlling immigration practitioners enrolled with applicants. This was thus the withdrawal of Section 46 from the Act, and a job that the Department had to fulfil since the beginning of the Act in 2002, which they failed. As such, they're blaming the members for their obvious inability.
VFS GLOBAL Organization, Dominance and Monopoly
VFS Global is mentioned as an organization created and running under Kuoni group from Mumbai, India. VFS Global's shareholding or administration structure isn't made public as of yet by Kuoni. Various sources mention VFS Global as an instance of a monopoly business managing internationally in the visa processing outsourcing sector below the possession of Kuoni group. This means deficiency of processing standards, rivalry and administration dubiousness in this sector has caused a selection of confusion for policy makers internationally while managing through tendering and giving government contracts.
This has resulted in difficulties in visa application pricing, and also caused concerns in the fields of central file management and content security, though VFS maintains a streamlined application entry procedure in all its canters.[40]
It's reported in south-east Asia that VFS own staff at its collection offices tries to abuse its dominant status by making their particular rules with visa applicants. This consists of entry standards to the VFS centers and additionally amount of support offered to applicants.[41]
Sort of Private company Founded Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (July 2001)
Headquarters London; United Kingdom
Area served worldwide.
Vital individuals — Zubin Karkaria (CEO)
Workers 2,935 (30th April 2014)
Kuoni Group Website www. vfsglobal .com
Business Profile
— the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for diplomatic missions and authorities
VFS global today
— Serving 45 customer authorities in 118 nations with 1423 Application Centers
— Processed in 2001 since its beginning over 90 million applications
— Global businesses certified ISO 9001:2008 for Quality Management System,
ISO 27001:2005 for Information Security Management System and ISO 14001:2004 for Environmental Management System
VFS Global is the world's greatest outsourcing and technology services specialist for diplomatic missions and authorities worldwide.
The organization handles' passport and visa issuance-associated administrative and non-judgmental jobs for its customer authorities.
With operations in 118 countries across five continents and 1423 Application Canters, VFS Global serves 45 customer governments' interests. The organization has successfully processed over 90 million applications since its beginning in 2001.
The organization 's highly differentiated solutions portfolio comprises dedicated visa and passport application centers, advice services (call centers), Internet-based modules (for appointment scheduling and online payment set), biometrics (info capture and transport), verification, legalization, attestation, translation, foreign citizenship, logistics alternatives, program and project management, database management, security options, monetary options, etc. This wide-ranging range empowers customer authorities to focus completely on the main job of interviews and evaluation.
VFS Global has embedded best practices in its operations across all its committed visa application centres internationally to satisfy the demands of the client authorities. From the supply of visa application forms to returning applications that are processed, and relevant services, VFS Global follows a chain of exceptionally accurate, advanced and streamlined procedures to make sure its customer authorities' and applicants' complete security and discretion. Businesses and VFS Global's offices around the planet are certified with ISO 9001:2008 for ISO 27001:2005 for Information Security Management System Quality Management System and ISO 14001:2004 for Environmental Management System.
Based in London, UK, VFS Global is a fully-owned subsidiary company of the Kuoni Group, a public-listed company headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.
Vision & Mission
To be the market leader in visa, consular and identity management options industry.
We partner with authorities to empower faster and educated decision making in the area of consular and identity management services, by providing technology and administrative remedies and value-added services that are secure, innovative and offer value for money. We strive to develop a reliable and convenient experience for customers, by having employed workers, company expertise, international presence and value to stakeholders.
Our company is established in the three principals of Trust, Technique and Technology. This three-pronged strategy enables us to maximize efficacy and convenience for both – our client authorities along with applicants.
At VFS Global, we acknowledge that gaining and keeping the trust of our clients is important to our success, which is why it is a truly revered worth for us. Our business dealings, activities, and our conduct are designed to nurture and enhance our clients 'trust.
Trust comes from surpassing customer expectations constantly and honoring our commitments. To ensure the highest levels of company and business ethics functionality, we invest heavily in security and other control systems, and nurturing a work culture grounded in greatest ethical and performance standards.
VFS Global is the most experienced firm in its space, and is focused exclusively on outsourcing and technology service business. This has resulted in the creation of competence base and a robust technique which enables us to provide highly customised solutions to every client government.
Dedicated teams study the requirements of every customer government before delivering optimal solutions. A solid quality management system ensures the highest standards in systems, processes and individuals. Our invention team strives to constantly strengthen our existing competences and develop new ones.
VFS Global has made important investments in development of technology to manage intricate work flows for big quantities of applications. We have developed proprietary software systems for data handling and passport tracking. Our technology support also extends to on-line appointment scheduling, web site development and payment systems.
VFS Global has partnered with the leading IT companies to ensure compliance with security policies, and with the performance standards set by customer authorities of the world. Internal audits and reviews are conducted on our systems and procedures by one of the very best five audit companies to ensure business continuity and high-performance levels at all times.
The organization also has on going program to make sure security of information within various business processes, and quality and process development measures to ascertain all operations are ISO compliant.
By committing to technology upgrades and continuous process and ensuring the highest potential rates of service and efficiency, VFS Global has confirmed its position as the marketplace leader in the area of consular services.
What started out as a single office in Mumbai, serving only one customer, has grown into an operation of global symmetry and well could stake a claim as the industry leader!
Code of Conduct
VFS Global preserves and encourages a corporate culture and behavior in which integrity, honesty and reverence for the law are viewed as vital to reaching desired success. VFS Global's moral and behavioral principles, which apply upon the business's international operations, described and are enshrined in its Code of Conduct, which is meant to function as a guide to its corporate and employee ethical behavior. This Code is supplemented by more comprehensive internal regulations, guidelines and policies issued by VFS Global, which are related to particular geographic areas and/or disciplines of actions of VFS Global.
The VFS Global Code of Conduct is an integral part of VFS Global's corporate culture and is binding upon Executive Board VFS Global's Board of Directors and all personnel of VFS Global as well as to all Facility Management Companies (FMC).
Anti-Corruption Regulation
VFS Global is dedicated to doing business and considers that other corrupt practices and bribery are wrong and not okay. To underline this obligation, the Anti-Corruption Regulation which is based on the VFS Global Code of Conduct has been issued by VFS Global's Board of Directors and is fully endorsed by the Executive Board.
The Anti-Corruption Regulation which applies to VFS Global's Board of Directors, the Executive Board and all workers and associated persons as well as their directors, officers and workers makes it clear that they shall not offer, supply, authorize, request or receive a bribe or whatever may be construed as a bribe.
Quality Policy
VFS Global ensures customer satisfaction through quality of service, security and safety using procedures that are robust right technology and also the involvement of its employees and customers, resulting in constant advancement.
Environmental Policy
At VFS Global, we are committed to abide to all Authorized, Regulatory, Statutory and other requirements with the ultimate aim of providing the safest environment and healthiest setting to all our employees, customers, providers, and to anyone else interacting with us while preserving the natural resources and always improve our processes.
Well-Being, Security & Safety Policy
We at VFS Global ensure and devote ourselves to the well-being, safety and protection of our employees, contractors, partners, visitors and customers through supply of ergonomic and safe work environment infrastructure and transport and complying with appropriate legislation.
Customer Authorities – 45
Program Centers -1423
nations of Operation -118
# Applications -90.99 m
Employees – 3136
— VFS Global won the prestigious "Service Provider of the Year" award. The award, presented at the 8th annual Asian Voice Political and Public Life Awards, recognizes the company's exemplary service to the public for visa and consular services on behalf of High Commission of India in the United Kingdom and its respective consulates.
— VFS Global won the esteemed IMC (Indian Merchant Chamber) IT Award 2013 for the excellence in use of Information Technology. The business has won this award under "End Users of IT in Large Enterprise Category" for execution of SAP and enterprise portal using SharePoint across the world. This farther reaffirms the company's leadership position in driving business excellence through the integration of information technology (IT) into its business operation.
^ Data stated are as at 31 October 2014
#Accumulative figures in million (m), since start
Client Authorities – 45
*VACs – 1156
Nations of Operation – 107
# Applications Processed – 73.69m
Employees – 2750
Client Governments – 42
*VACs – 802
States of Operation – 88
# Programs Processed – 55.66m
Employees – 2651
— Won 84 per cent share of the Citizenship and Immigration Canada's (CIC) international visa application center contract; including operations in 104 nations with a world-wide network of 139 Visa Application Centers
— Attained 50 million applications landmark since beginning in 2001; including 10 million bio-metric enrollments
— Given the key visa services international contract by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; entailing operations across 33 states
— Received worldwide visa outsourcing contract by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Greece; began operations in Turkey and China, India, Nepal, Russia
— Awarded worldwide contract by the Republic of Slovenia to serve the brand new customer government in Russia, Egypt, India, China and Ukraine; also commenced operations in six Indian cities
— Expanded association together with the Government of Bulgaria; started operations in Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine; and awarded global visa outsourcing contract by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bulgaria
— Honoured with coveted awards internationally under several classes including Leadership, Innovation, Quality Management, Information Technology, and Best Employer. Few of these awards were TAAI Award for Capgemini Leadership Award for Innovation; Leadership in Invention; three International Awards from World Quality Congress, and Bloomberg – UTV Dream Employer of the Year Award
— International operations certified ISO 9001:2008 for Quality Management System and ISO 27001:2005 for Information Security Management System
— Recognized first operations in the USA; found India Passport Application Centres in five cities
— Advanced bio-metric solution launched for the Home Office – UK Visas & Immigration (formerly UK Border Agency); UK visa mobile biometric clinics held in India, Malaysia, Kazakhstan and Ivory Coast
— Won contract for New Zealand visa services in The Republic of Korea, Japan, South Africa, Taiwan, Indonesia, Turkey and UAE
— Added new customers: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia
— Attained one million visa applications at the Finland Visa Application Centre in St. Petersburg, Russia
*Visa Application Centers
#increasing figures since start, in million (m)
Customer Authorities – 37
*VACs – 526
Countries of Operation – 63
# Applications – 41.09m
Workers – 2404
Client Governments – 34
*VACs – 409
States of Operation – 48
# Programs Processed – 29.63m
Workers – 1927
Client Governments – 28
*VACs – 337
Nations of Operation – 45
# Programs Processed – 21.00m
Workers – 1850
Client Governments – 25
*VACs – 282
Nations of Operation – 42
# Programs Processed – 13.94m
Employees – 1826
Client Authorities – 19
*VACs – 192
Nations of Operation – 37
# Applications – 8.15m
Employees – 1590
Client Authorities – 11
*VACs – 101
Nations of Operation – 11
# Programs Processed – 2.44m
Workers – 597
Client Government – 1
*VACs – 3
State of Operation – 1
# Applications – 0.15m
Workers – 46
— Established visa application services for the US Consulate in Mumbai, in India's western cities — Ahmadabad, Mumbai and Pune
*Visa Application Centers
#accumulative figures since beginning, in million (m)
— Employee Value Proposition
Employee Value Proposition
A Fellowship of Successes
VFS Global's Employee Value Proposition (EVP) represents our core values and commitment towards our workers. Our EVP has been created in a collaborative and centered manner with the involvement of individuals from across our organization to ensure impassivity.
Success driven by functionality.
We appreciate and celebrate our employees' achievements and success, ensuring fairness and transparency in acknowledgement and reward procedure
Healthful work-life balance. We ensure an optimum work-life balance is struck by our employees, while maintaining powerful concentrate on organization goal
institutionalized value established culture.
We offer open, lively and friendly culture incorporated with a strong value system and a work environment that is conducive.
Nurture the Leaders of tomorrow.
We provide unparalleled chances for career progress on the other side of the globe and develop future leaders from within the organization
Enabled Empowerment,
We encourage our workers to influence flexibility and freedom at work while providing constructive managerial support, to investigate and conquer new challenges'
Awards & Recognition
Through time, VFS Global updated its procedures to please its customers and has always reinvented. Its attempts have not been. Today, with a host of awards to its credit, VFS Global is true for one of the most famous providers of technology and outsourcing services to authorities.
— Special Commendation for Golden Peacock Environment Management Award, 2014
During the 16th World Congress on Ecosystem Management, VFS Global was felicitated with the Special Commendation for Golden Peacock Environment. The business has executed procedures and environment-friendly work practices among which optimizing energy usage, volunteering attempts and offsetting 2672 tonnes of carbon dioxide through investment in carbon canceling endeavors and societal outreach endeavor including comprehension drives, are the critical contributors to this acknowledgement.
VFS Global is the sole firm from the service industry winning a Special Commendation award among contemporaries who are top players in the manufacturing sector. This makes the honor momentous for the business.
— HP IT Innovation Award honor for Major IT transformation project, 2014
VFS Global's IT function's job pertaining to Major IT transformation has been felicitated by Hewlett Packard (HP) with the HP IT Innovation Award With this, VFS Global's move from being companies of a traditional IT model to proponents of an "as-a-service", consumption-based IT model, stands admitted.
— ASD Gold Service Provider Award by the Road and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai, 2014
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) one of the largest government departments in Dubai, recognised the services supplied by VFS Global, together with the esteemed ASD (Government Service Department) Gold Service Provider Award. VFS Global's par excellence service rendered in the managing of the RTA employees' Schengen visa applications was hailed as being contributory to this win.
— Al Nasr Sports Club honor, 2014
The winners of the GCC Club Cup, the Al Nasr football team, presented a special letter thanking VFS Global for the extraordinary services rendered in the handling of the players' Schengen visa applications to nations like Australia and the UK, throughout all of this past year. This felicitation took place at the VFS Global Visa Application Centre in Wafi Mall, Dubai.
— Service Provider of the Year prize: Asian Voice Political and Public Life Awards
VFS Global won the prestigious "Service Provider of the Year" prize. The award, presented at the 8th annual Asian Voice Political and Public Life Awards held in 2014, recognizes the company's exemplary service to the public for consular and visa services on behalf of High Commission of India in its respective consulates and the UK.
— IMC IT Award 2013 for superiority in use of Information Technology
VFS Global won the esteemed IMC (Indian Merchant Chamber) IT Award 2013 for the superiority in use of Information Technology. The company has won this award under "End Users of IT in Large Business Category" for execution of SAP and enterprise portal using SharePoint across the globe. This further reaffirms the firm's leadership position in driving business excellence through the integration of information technology (IT) into its business operation.
— TAAI Appreciation Award for a Decade of Exceptional Service to Indian Travel & Tourism Business: Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) Annual Awards 2013
VFS Global won the prestigious TAAI Appreciation Award for a Decade of Exceptional Service to Indian Travel & Tourism Business in recognition of the company's leadership position in the outsourced visa and consular services' market and its strong focus on offering innovative services, which improve the entire visa application encounter for travel agents as well as visa applicants. The award also recognizes the significant part in facilitating tourism and travel VFS Global plays.
— Travel Entrepreneur of the Decade Award — the First International Convention of Enterprising Travel Agents Association (ETAA) – 2013
The Enterprising Travel Agents Association (ETAA), conferred the Travel Entrepreneur of the Decade Award on Mr. Zubin Karkaria, CEO, VFS Global Group, to honor excellence, innovation and contribution to the business, during its first international convention held in Dubai in 2013.
— Second Best Job of the year 2013 for ELVIS — the Project Management Association of Finland
ELVIS, a breakthrough innovation by VFS Global developed in partnership with and for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland, has been awarded the second greatest endeavor of the year 2013 by the Project Management Association of Finland.
— Greatest Network Security Implementation Award: Fortinet Network Security Awards, 2013
VFS Global has been granted the prestigious Best Network Security Implementation – 2013 awards under the Fortinet Network Security Awards recognizing the firm's leadership position in implementing the network security controls that are efficient and incorporated with other networking managements across VFS Global.
— Dubai Quality Appreciation Award for the exceptional dedication to pursuing excellence in 2012: 18th Company Excellence Awards by the Dubai Department of Economic Development held in 2013
VFS Global has been awarded the respected Dubai Quality Appreciation Award recognizing the organization as a role model organization for its business excellence through the use of good practices and soundly-based approaches that are deployed systematically and are continuously measured and reviewed. The award was presented in the appreciation class of Dubai Quality Award (DQA).
— TAAI Appreciation Award for Leadership in Innovation in the Visa Outsourcing Industry: Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) Annual Awards 2012
VFS Global won the prestigious TAAI Appreciation Award for Leadership in Innovation in the Visa Outsourcing Business in acknowledgement of the company's leadership position in the visa and consular services outsourcing marketplace and its strong focus on developing progressive alternatives to enhance its service offering for the benefit of its client authorities as well as their visa applicants.
— Capgemini Leadership Award for Innovation: NASSCOM India Leadership Forum 2012
VFS Global won the coveted "Capgemini Leadership Award for Innovation" at the NASSCOM India Leadership Forum 2012, in recognition of efficient usage of technology for providing services to the client governments.
— Safari India National Tourism Award as the "World's largest, and a trusted, visa outsourcing business": Safari India National Tourism Award 2012
VFS Global won the prestigious Safari India National Tourism Award 2012 as the "World's biggest, along with a sure, visa outsourcing company" organised by Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA), which is the leading travel writers' organization representing members from all over the planet.
— Three Global Awards for Excellence in Quality Management and Leadership: World Quality Congress & Awards 2012
VFS Global has won three International Awards for Excellence in Quality Management and Direction – Quality Excellence Award for Best e-business, Quality Leadership Award and Supply Chain Innovation Award in the entire world Quality Congress & Awards 2012.
— Bloomberg – UTV Dream employer of the Year 2012: World HRD Congress 2012
VFS Global was given the "Bloomberg – UTV Dream Company of the Year 2012" under the BPO / ITeS services class for the best folks' practices, broad international reach, and superior business model in the World HRD Congress 2012.
— QCI-DL Shah National Award on Economics for Quality 2012: Quality Council of India
VFS Global received prestigious "QCI-DL Shah National Awards on Economics for Quality 2012"; for efforts on reducing overrides in biometrics for United Kingdom Edge Agency Visa Application Centres (VACs), and for effectively using technology for preserving high standards and security of biometric scans.
— IQPC Finest Process Improvement Job Award: International Quality and Productivity Centre (IQPC)
VFS Global's UK VAC in Kolkata, India was given "Best Process Improvement Project" from International Quality and Productivity Centre (IQPC) in London in 2012; the job "Turn-Around Time Reduction" won the award in acknowledgement of the business impact and scope of advancement displayed by this job to serve visa applicants
— Three CIO Awards: CIO100 Symposium and Awards 2012
VFS Global has won the three most coveted awards for 2012 — CIO 100 Awards, Networking Pioneer Special Award and CIO Hall of Fame Award at the CIO100 Symposium and Awards 2012.
— Top 100 CISO Award: Top 100 CISO Awards 2012
Top 100 CISO Award was presented at the Top 100 CISO Awards 2012 to recognize VFS Global and its Advise Security team for using information security technology in innovative ways to procure its company and mission essential advice in the best fashion and give business value, by creating competitive advantage, optimizing business processes, enabling growth and improving relationships with customers.
— Maximising Company Impact Through IT: BORDER Award
VFS Global has earned admiration and the Edge award for 'Maximising Business Impact Through IT' for five years in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
— Greatest Information Security Initiative for Leadership in IT Security in 2010: Security Strategist Award and in India' in 2008
VFS Global won the Security Strategist Award under the hospitality and travel group for the 'Best Information Security Initiative in India' in 2008 and for 'Leadership in IT Security' in 2010.
— IT Governance and IT Security: ISACA Award
VFS Global was picked a winner for the coveted Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) Award conferred for its' IT Governance and IT Security' in 2010.
— Process Improvement in transactions and the services: Lean Six Sigma and Process Improvement Summit
Development Summit: At the Lean Six Sigma and Process Improvement Summit 2009 in Orlando, USA, VFS Global received an award for 'Process Improvement' in the 'services and trades' type.
— iSixSigma Best Project: iSixSigma Summit
In 2009, VFS Global was the finalist in the 'Best Project' in transactions' type at the iSixSigma Summit held in Miami, USA.
— Greatest Innovation Projects: Qimpro Convention
In 2009, VFS Global was picked finalist at the Qimpro Convention in Mumbai, India under the 'Greatest Invention Jobs' group.
— Superiority in Training and International HR Strategy: Employer Branding Award
VFS Global won the important Company Branding Award in 2009 for its 'Excellence in Training' and 'Global HR Strategies.
— Greatest HR Strategy and Training Superiority: Greentech HR Awards
VFS Global also received the reputable Greentech HR Awards for 'Best HR Strategy' and 'Training Excellence' in 2010.
Executive Board
Zubin Jal Karkaria Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer
Olivier de Canson
Chief Financial Officer
Bernard Martyris
Leader of Human Resources
Dhiren Savla
Chief Information Officer
Paul John Maliekkal
Regional CEO – Africa, Americas, Australasia,
Europe and Middle East
Murali Raghavan
Regional CEO – CIS, South Asia and North Africa
Permanent Invitees to
Executive Board
Ajit Alexander
Chief Operating Officer – Middle East and Africa
Christopher Dix
Chief Operating Officer – Europe and the Americas
— Services & Solutions
VFS Global has developed best-in-class services to fulfill the outsourcing and technology requirements of its clients to offer them efficient, flexible, highly advanced and customized solutions.
With over a decade of expertise, VFS Global has established itself as a marketplace leader in the technology and outsourcing services for diplomatic missions and authorities industry. Unmatched expertise and commitment to add value to customers allow the enterprise to deliver high-quality services through 1423 Application Centers, positioned in 118 countries across five continents. While leveraging process knowledge and our technological expertise, our customers can focus on their core business area.
VFS Global offers more efficient and customized services to help its customers:
— reduce process sophistication
— minimize price
— attain desired output
— enrich customer experience
— invent business strategies
Passport and Visa Application Processing Services
VFS Global's visa & passport application processing services is an end to end alternative. This alternative has evolved into a seamless process, including information dissemination, automated application and appointment systems, helplines, group and remittance of fees, biometric enrolment, and suitable value-added services to improve the applicant encounter.
Through the years, our technology-driven innovative solutions have revolutionised the way visa & passport application services are managed since our start in 2001.
Below is a detailed explanation of every one of our service portfolio:
Information Dissemination
— Dissemination of information via printed matter, media, web and call centre
— Distribution of application forms and printed material for a particular mission, at designated Visa Application Centres
— A enthusiastic site for each diplomatic mission; all related information can be obtained through the same, including downloading a clean visa application form
— supplying applicants with personalized guidance
— responding to enquiries by email, postal mail and phone
— Preparing and counseling travel agents, airlines and instruction brokers
— creating, maintaining and upgrading websites with visa information, so enabling programs online and tracking the progress of programs.
We design and host a dedicated website for representation of each client government. We register a domain name for operations. Links and all applicable info are provided as per written scripts and directives approved by the diplomatic mission. These sites bring out the local aspects of application requirement and offer links to the diplomatic missions we serve in a specific area.
The web site generally consists of the following:
— Info related to documentation requirements
— Contact details
— Hyperlinks to embassy and government sites
— Downloadable forms and checklists
— On-Line tracking module
— Payment facilities and modes
— Other information that is related
Scrutiny and Acceptance of Records
After reviewing them for completeness and validity, based on checklists furnished by the diplomatic missions, — Accept applications around the counter
— Checklists to be signed by applicant and staff before approval
— Accept supporting files and passports after required pre-examination
— Counsel applicants whose applications are invalid for any reason and require further documentation.
— As a policy, VFS Global would never reject an application from an applicant who insists on carrying on despite being forewarned that the application is invalid; in such a situation, VFS Global would annotate the checklist using a comment that the applicant has elected to continue despite being made aware that his application is invalid according to the checklist.
— Adherence to a checklist
— Neutral acceptance of application
— No refusal of application
E-mail and phone Help Lines
— Currently support program advice services for customers in 54 nations
— Help desk service handles emails and large call volumes in multiple languages
— Call center: Uniform service levels, merchandise offering, and operation windows across all places
— Email services: Standardized e-mail answers
— Customized multilingual offerings
Collection and Remittance of Fees
— All relevant payment related information updated on website
— Partner with trusted banking associates
— Unique payment confirmation to avoid fraud
— Skill to get real-time database updates on fee collection
— Multiple ways of fee collection, online, banking instruments, EFT, cash, cards, etc.
— Demonstrated ability to gather fees in 54 states
— Have partnered with local banks in each nation, to successfully transfer fees within 24 hours
— Broadly accepted ways of payments are implemented in each area, as solutions
Bio metrics Enrollment: Fixed and mobile solutions to accommodate your business
VFS Global has significant experience of delivering turnkey biometric solutions, for lots of its clients worldwide.
We offer both fixed and mobile solutions in a variety of functional settings, all which achieve compliance with pertinent international standards. Biometric data is gotten by our trained staff, encrypted and sent securely to our clients for their due to consideration as part of the end-to-end program process.
We've chosen our front line biometric kit partners with the goal of ensuring a high standard of great value for money, maximum operational efficacy and maintenance capability. Thus far, we've finished 17 million biometric enrolments.
Biometrics Enrolment solutions offer:
— Finger, facial, double iris and signature capture
— mobile capacity deployed to suit functional demands
— conformity to all applicable international standards
— end to end biometric options and systems integration
— simple availability of enrolment centres
— options incorporating technology, people and procedures
— Identity checking account and authentication capabilities
Data Reconciliation
— it's a standard operating procedure for us to batch programs in accordance with the guidelines of our customer governments. All submissions are tracked carefully to ensure consistency in meeting timelines.
— as a policy, all staff members are trained to multitask. This enables us to periodically rotate the staff among various functions. Such turning ensures that no worker develops a vested interest in virtually any position.
— All transactions are performed by at least two men, with an electronic/paper trail of handover, input signal and takeover. This ensures that there can be no fraudulent insertion or removal of papers, nor any data get with intent of fraud.
— electronic and Physical entries of programs for each day are verified to ensure 100% reconciliation of funds and applications.
Database Creation
VFS Global has extensive experience in capturing text and photo-image data, for uploading into the systems of diplomatic missions. The data is uploaded via on-line file transfer, creation of data barcodes for following scanning, or via floppy diskette/CD ROM.
Submission to the Mission
VFS Global synchronizes the entry of programs with the consular section to ease the procedure for examination. All programs are sorted and indexed by recommended standards such as visa type, priority case, preceding refusal, etc. They're then submitted in consolidated lots, at designated times.
Appointment Scheduling
Having victoriously scheduled for 12 diplomatic missions in 14 nations over five million appointments, since 2005, VFS Global offers the following services pertaining to Appointment Scheduling:
— Consular management module
— applicant interface view
— single database for every nation appointment system
— mechanism to schedule crisis appointment slots
— One-to-one match of the applicant to appointment
— supply consular reports on appointments and other Management Information System (MIS) info
— demonstrated skill to prevent group appointments
— visa shopping fortunately disallowed
Applicants called for an interview can schedule an appointment by calling our call centre or by sending an email request to us.
VFS Global has a proprietary 'Appointment Scheduling System' that can be programmed to create slot capacity by parameters of date, time- range and visa type. Our system may even allocate a queue number during making an appointment. It gives complete flexibility to the visa section. The system controls duplicate appointments, by ensuring that no applicant is permitted to book multiple appointments, using exactly the same name and passport number.
Our system allows an applicant to:
— Decide first allocation of interview slots
— afterwards, adjust allotments to take into account eventualities
— allocate slots by visa class
— allocate slots by Application Centre
— assign utilized slots to a specific queue
Return Delivery of Passports
Having successfully managed over 31 million passport deliveries, with 'zero losses' in overseas visa services operations, VFS Global offers the following services relating to Return Delivery of Passport services:
— Partner with trusted local couriers
— Proven barcode techniques
— Multiple points of delivery
— Skill to track status of file delivery
— Hub-and-spoke model for prevalent service delivery, for both intra and inter -state coverage
— Skill to deliver documents without risk of loss, with a track record of meeting the mandatory standard, over 99.99% of the time
All applications are logged with an Application Centre immediately after acceptance onto our electronic tracking system, by assigning a barcode to every passport. The motions of the passport and related files are tracked by barcode scans at every step of the procedure (i.e. counter to back office, back office to Ops Hub, Ops Hub to visa section, and so on).
The following standards govern the physical motion of records:
— All files are transported in containers that were locked: either alloy boxes or reinforced cloth bags.
— an nightlong storage in our premises is done in fireproof safes. Our offices, where overnight storage takes place, are fastened with alarms, intrusion detectors and closed-circuit TV cameras.
— takeovers and All handovers are derived from barcode out-scan/in-scan and written handover/takeover logs.
Processed applications are gathered from the visa sections, contracted and at specified timings. These processed applications are accepted just in return envelopes that were sealed, provided by VFS Global. This ensures privacy of data. Return envelopes could be collected from the Application Centre where the application was submitted. As an alternative, an applicant may also get the envelope delivered by courier, for a supplementary cost.
In certain territories, VFS Global manages a same-day service for precedence class of applicants. The qualifying applicants, who submit their application before cut-off time, will have their files submitted to the visa section, in a separate priority -lot. These applications are processed by the visa section as a priority basis and give them to VFS Global, exactly the same afternoon. VFS Global ensures that these applications are prepared for set, precisely the same evening.


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Wednesday, February 1, 2012
8 comments:
Very nice work. Enjoy the painting and let the dice sort em out.ReplyDelete
They look good Ross. What is your paint brand/fomula for your Flesh color as it photographs well ...?ReplyDelete
A rum bunch. I'd keep my rifle handy if I were you.ReplyDelete
They look great to me, Ross.ReplyDelete
-- Jeff
Nothing wrong with them, Ross. They look bloodthirsty, dangerous, and ready to rock and roll. Nice work.ReplyDelete
Thanks for the comments gentlemen.ReplyDelete
Chasseur Jeff: I've been using craft acrylics, primarily Ceramcoat, pretty much exclusively for the last 25 or so years. The figures were primed in a mix of varnish and burnt sienna. The flesh was then given a base coat of a dark flesh mixed with burnt sienna (the names change periodically the bottle is actually labelled "native flesh" but I use it and the newer "dark flesh" interchangeably for all my flesh. Once dry it was given a wash of burnt sienna.
I'll echo the comments about them looking quite good.ReplyDelete
Nice paintwork. These chaps look as if they need keeping an eye on!ReplyDelete

subset: commoncrawl


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Welcome to College Central Network (CCN)!
CCN is an online job board and is available to current, curriculum students and alumni of Wake Tech, as well as community employers. Approved employers may post paid job opportunities and paid internships. All services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Follow us on Twitter: @WakeTechCareers.
Please click on an icon below to access your service.
View our upcoming events below


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Once you reserve a shore excursion, you will receive an email confirmation that includes your vouchers and information on the date, time and location of your tour.
Articles in this section
- How do I access my BookIt reservation?
- How can I get a copy of my reservation details (invoice)?
- What is Onboard Credit (OBC)?
- What do I need to do after booking my cruise?
- What if I need to make changes to my cruise reservation?
- How do I cancel my cruise?
- What can I do via My Cruise Reservation?
- How do I book shore excursions through BookIt?
- When will I receive confirmation for shore excursions booked through BookIt?
- When will my card be charged for the "Book Now, Pay Later: No Deposit Required" promotion?


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Wheelchair Cushions and Supports
One problem anyone who has had to spend any significant amount of time in a wheelchair knows about is the discomfort. While wheelchairs have come a long way in the past several decades, they are still often very uncomfortable because of the fact that users have to sit in them for extended periods of time. For many, a good wheelchair cushion provide a lot of relief in this area. Here at Borbas Pharmacy we carry many different types of cushions that will fit any type of wheelchair you need. When you order through us, well deliver the cushion right to your door so you dont have to waste time and effort driving to a pharmacy.
Quality is Key to ComfortWhen it comes to wheelchair cushions, you want to have a high quality cushion to ensure it is as comfortable as possible. The cushions we carry are made with the best materials to provide you with the support and cushioning that you need. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes as well as many different levels of thickness so we certainly have one that is perfect for you. Browse through our great selection and find the one that will work best for you.
Serving Brooklyn & New YorkOur pharmacy delivers to people and businesses throughout Brooklyn and the greater New York area. We offer wholesale prices on wheelchair cushions and any other pharmacy supplies that you may need, including medications. Whether you are a patient that needs these products or you are a business looking to sell them, we can help you with all your medical supply needs. Of course, we understand that when people order medications, wheelchair cushions or any other type of medical supply, they need them as quickly as possible. This is why we have virtually all items in stock and ready to go out right away. We can deliver your order, often free of charge, very quickly so you can begin enjoying the benefits as fast as possible.
Buy Wheelchair Cushions at Wholesale PricesGetting the best price on all your medical products is very important, which is why we work hard to keep our prices low. We have very low overhead and since we serve people throughout Brooklyn and New York from our main location we are able to provide you with far lower prices than you will find anywhere else. In addition, we work directly with insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid so that you can have as low of an out of pocket expense as possible. Whatever medical supplies you need, we are here to provide them quickly, easily and affordably.
Contact Us TodayIf you are interested in ordering a new wheelchair cushion or you just have questions about our service, please dont hesitate to call us at 888-208-8415. We are more than happy to talk with you about your specific medical supply needs and help you to get the best prices on all your pharmacy supplies.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know us a little better.
We look forward to helping you.
Questions?We're here to help. Click here or call us: 888-208-8415


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Buy in store today or call 01358 720363
Perfect for the modern home, the Studio Living & Dining Collection, is fresh, stylish and beautifully designed.
Available in 6 Finishes.
Grey, Black or White Gloss.
Light Oak, Dark Oak & Charcoal Veneers.
3 Sizes of Hall Tables, Wall Mirror, Coffee, End & Nest of Tables.


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Library Layout
Junior Library Shelving Map
Senior Library Shelving Map
Junior Library Fiction
This collection is divided into three sections; picture books, early chapter books and junior chapter books. New books are displayed and changed weekly
Senior Library Fiction
The Senior Library serves students from year 7 to 13, although girls are still able to borrow from the junior library. Sophisticated picture books are shelved separately in the fiction area. New books are displayed on shelving near the library entrance and on the library website
The non-fiction collection in both libraries is shelved using the Dewey Decimal system. In addition there is a separate Biographies section in the Senior Library area, shelved under the subject's name.
Magazines/DVDs/Audio Books
A variety of magazines, DVDs and audio books are available to be borrowed
Foreign Language Materials
There are French, Spanish and Japanese materials in the Senior and Junior Libraries and in addition books in the mother tongues of students in the Junior Library. These resources are shelved separately with the fiction in both libraries
Library Hours
The library is open from 8.00am to 4.30pm daily during school terms and during the Term 3 holidays


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- 5 beds
- 4 baths
- $445,000 price
- 321809 mls id
- Year Built: 2007
- Lot Size: 3.44 acres
- Status: Active
A diamond in the rough is what this 5/4 nearly 4000 square foot home on 3.44 acres is. Located in the nearly gated Estates of Woodbridge in the highly sought after Pisgah School Zone. Spacious open kitchen/living area, formal dining, keeping room or large office space, large breakfast area with two bar seating areas, 35 foot depth 3 car garage, extra parking slabs, covered patio and so much more to offer. This home provides access to the Woodbridge taxi way and runway (HOA & Aviation Dues Apply). Priced far below average comps, AS-IS, no maintenance, repairs, or warranties. Just needs some TLC.
- Site Link
- Property SubType Single Family Detached
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This is a must see! Immaculately maintained, custom-built home sitting on beautiful, well-maintained golf course and pond. Four bedrooms and 3 full baths downstairs, plus 5th bedroom/bonus and 4th full bath upstairs. Gourmet kitchen features granite countertops and island, plus Viking cooktop and...
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GORGEOUS 5 bed 4 bath house located in the highly sought after GATED community of Bridgepointe! This location offers convenience to dining, shopping, entertainment, and of course the Reservoir! LOOK NO FURTHER! This home offers everything you desire and more such as: Large Foyer, Formal Dining,...
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Office Phone: 6019827918
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Updated: 2nd April, 2020 6:19 AM.
110 PECAN RIDGE Brandon, MS


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Medical costs are outrageous. No one (not those within working or those getting the care) feel that this growth is sustainable in the long term. The only defense as a practitioner is to get as good as possible because it gives you options as the system shifts and gets disrupted. The only way to make sure you progress is to have a plan.
So at our clinic, you may find a undergrad student figuring out their next step into medicine as they intern.
Or medical doctor in their residency spending a day shadowing as I work through the physical exam with them.
Or a physical therapy student on their last rotation before practicing themselves.
Or physical therapist who has been in the field for years and wants a new perspective
I always want to impact their learning strategy and study plan. It seems that a good portion have not considered the value of getting a study plan in place prior to their first day of real practice. I found pretty quickly that if you do not have plan, someone else will give you one. Or worse yet, no one will and you will be the same practitioner 20 years for now and the upcoming medical disruption might crush you.


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Leukemia is derived from the Greek words leukos meaning white, and haima meaning blood. It is a type of cancer of the blood and/or bone marrow (blood generating organ within the long bones) and is
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells.These malignant cells often originate in lymph nodes, presenting as
Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS)-metabolic abnormalities that result from the death of tumor cells and release of their contents into the c
Thalassemia is an inherited autosomal recessive blood disease that originated in the Mediterranean region. In thalassemia the genetic defect, which could be


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A Michigan midwife is accused of negligence for the death of a newborn. A malpractice attorney plans to file a lawsuit against the midwife. The case pertains to a baby born on February 8, 2018. He died three days later. The cause of death was allegedly brain injuries resulting from a delivery gone wrong at home.
The attorney described the midwife as "stubborn" and "incompetent." He also argued that the woman had no nursing or medical credentials and that the mother should have been transferred to a hospital. Instead of being transferred, the baby suffered brain injuries as a result of the botched delivery and died after three days. The attorney also noted that the baby was healthy, but that the delivery resulted in complications.
The certified midwife delivered the baby at home in the frank breech position. This position involves the baby's buttocks facing the birth canal and its legs positioned straight up in front of its body. The feet are positioned closer to the head. Normally, a baby moves into the delivery position a few weeks prior to birth. However, in this case, the baby failed to do so. While babies born in this position may be healthy, there can be an increased risk for birth injuries than in normal births.
The midwife was an employee for an Ann Arbor-based midwifery that describes itself as taking a "holistic" approach to mother and baby care. They also provide services before, during, and after birth. This includes prenatal visits, 24-hour access to a midwife, and follow-up care. They also provide resources for proper nutrition and exercise. However, they do not appear to provide medical services pertaining to more high-risk births.
The attorney said that this situation highlights problems with home deliveries. He feels that midwives provide false reassurance than expectant mothers do not need medical services. Midwives give mothers the impression that they do not need to give birth to a child in the hospital.
The attorney expresses significant concern towards the overall midwife profession. He notes that midwives do not have the medical knowledge and insight to provide consultation for mothers or help them make decisions that are a matter of life and death.
This case highlights the fact that midwives may not have the right training to handle high-risk births like an OB/GYN.
- Why midwives are both easier and harder to sue
What are midwives?
Midwives are health care professionals who provide specialized care for women, specifically their reproductive health. They offer many different kinds of services including gynecological examinations, contraceptive counseling, prescriptions, and delivery care. Midwives are best known for providing care before, during, and after labor and delivery. The services that midwives provide may vary from state to state, as they each have different regulations that determine the kinds of credentials they have.
There are five different types of midwives, each of them with different credentials and experiences. They are certified nurse-midwives (CNM), certified midwives (CM), certified professional midwives (CPM), direct-entry midwives (DEM), and lay midwives. Certified nurse-midwives are licensed professionals trained in both nursing and midwifery. They are also required to have a bachelor's degree.
A certified midwife is trained in midwifery only. Like CNMs, CMs are also required to have at least a bachelor's as well. The American College of Nurse-Midwives certifies both CNMs and CMs. A certified professional midwife is one who meets North American Registry of Midwives standards. To become a CPM, one must have several education backgrounds. A direct-entry midwife is one who has trained to become a midwife through different experiences. They include an apprenticeship, a midwifery school, and a college program. DEMs are not necessarily certified like CNMs, CMs, and CPMs. A lay midwife is an individual who has received neither a certification nor a license to be a midwife. However, they have received informal training, such as studying the profession on their own or an apprenticeship.
Advantages of having a midwife
I'll admit there are some advantages in seeing a midwife. They are more accessible than an OB/GYN and can spend more time with a pregnant woman. Midwives are also trained to have a more casual relationship with patients, which allows for the development of personal relationships it is hard to get with doctors in 2019. This can help put the mother at ease with respect to the pregnancy and birthing process. Midwives are also trained to look for anything out of the ordinary with respect to pregnant women. They can also provide assistance with respect to lifestyle related-issues such as nutrition, exercise, relationships, breastfeeding, and parenting. Some doctors, by contrast, do not spare the time for this touchy-feely stuff and mostly provide assistance on substantive acute medical issues.
Drawbacks of having a midwife
While midwives might be more convenient for expectant mothers, there are many drawbacks of using them to facilitate the birthing process. Much of these drawbacks are due to the fact that midwives are not qualified to handle high-risk births involving multiple babies or complications. Midwives cannot offer comprehensive tools such as ultrasound or anesthesia. They are also not qualified to deal with high-risk pregnancies or even acute complications that might occur during birth. Mothers experiencing complications from birth must seek emergency care from a physician. Midwives are also not well equipped to deal with multiple births such as twins and triplets. They also struggle to deal with mothers who have previously had a Cesarean section birth, stillbirths, or other pregnancy-related complications. Women with medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes can be too complicated for midwives to handle.
I could delete this entire paragraph and just say that a midwife is not an OB/GYN. Because that really is the difference. There are so many risks with childbirth. You want to put your kids in the best hands statistically and that is with an obstetrician.
What should I do?
In my opinion, your best bet is to seek out an OB/GYN instead of a midwife. While midwives might be okay for a low-risk birth, you never know what could go wrong. Sometimes, a low-risk birth can turn into high-risk at the blink of an eye. Giving birth at a hospital with an OB/GYN provides easier and quicker access to comprehensive medical care than giving birth at home with a midwife.


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1st Bletchley Family Camp – On The Water
1st Bletchley Scout Group held their annual Family Camp at Milton Bryan Campsite on the weekend of 19th and 20th August.
The weekend was full of activities which included rafting and fun were had by all the young people and their families.
Great weekend full of fun and adventure.
Check out the gallery for the photos from the weekend.


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Students of Academy Prep Center of Lakeland receive income-based tuition scholarships. Scholarships are obtained through Step Up For Students (SUFS) or AAA Scholarships. Every new Academy Prep student must have one or the other previously mentioned scholarships. There is no fee to apply for a scholarship. Please visit either or both websites by clicking on the scholarship name to get started. You will be re-directed to the scholarship website.
If you are interested in applying to Academy Prep Center of Lakeland, please fill out the online inquiry form and someone will reach out to schedule an admissions exam.


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If SOPA had been written by someone who understood information technology, and gave a rip about freedom of speech, the Lemming wouldn't be all that upset about one more piece of legislation. As it is, it looks like SOPA is - at best - a well-intentioned disaster waiting to happen.
That's the bad news.
The good news is that we do have pesky things like the First Amendment and blogs, and folks who aren't sufficiently submissive to what our betters in Washington think is good for us.
We've also got tech giants like Google, whose leadership is savvy enough to realize that giving some government official the power to shut down bothersome domains is a bad idea.
There's "Smart, Targeted;" And there's Congress"Google will protest SOPA using popular home page"
Declan McCullagh and Greg Sandoval, CNET News (January 17, 2012)
"The tech sector is pulling out the big guns.
"Google, the Web's top search company and one of technology's most influential powers in Washington, will post a link on its home page tomorrow to notify users of Google's opposition to controversial antipiracy bills being debated in Congress.
"The company confirmed in a statement that it will join Wikipedia, Reddit, and other influential tech firms in staging protests of varying kinds against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA), which are backed by big entertainment and media interests. (Read a roundup of our SOPA and PIPA coverage here.)
" 'Like many businesses, entrepreneurs, and Web users, we oppose these bills because there are smart, targeted ways to shut down foreign rogue Web sites without asking American companies to censor the Internet,' a Google representative said. 'So tomorrow we will be joining many other tech companies to highlight this issue on our U.S. home page.'..."
Let's cut the folks in Congress some slack here: many of them have devoted decades of their lives to spending our money and getting entertained by Hollywood. Unlike many of the rest of us, they may not have had time to learn about stuff like "computers" and "Internet." Besides, mere drudgery like typing and reading are what secretaries and interns are for, right?
Wikipedia Goes Away: For a Day"Wikipedia joins web blackout in Sopa protest"
BBC News (January 17, 2012)
"Wikipedia plans to take its English-language site offline on Wednesday as part of protests against proposed anti-piracy laws in the US.
"The user-generated news site Reddit and the blog Boing Boing have also said they will take part in the 'blackout'.
"The sites' webmasters are opposed to the Stop Online Piracy Act (Sopa) and Protect Intellectual Property Act (Pipa) being debated by Congress.
"However, Twitter has declined to take part in the shutdown.
"Wikipedia's founder, Jimmy Wales, told the BBC: 'Proponents of Sopa have characterised the opposition as being people who want to enable piracy or defend piracy.
" 'But that's not really the point. The point is the bill is so over broad and so badly written that it's going to impact all kinds of things that, you know, don't have anything to do with stopping piracy.'..."
In the Lemming's opinion
- Freedom of speech is not piracy
- Protest is not terrorism
- Disagreement is not treason
- "Bahrain, Foreign Troops, and - Maybe - the Last Stand of Kings"
(March 18, 2011)
'Rules are for the Little People?'"More on SOPA/PIPA"
Caitlin Williams, WTOL.com News (January 15, 2012; updated January 17, 2012)
"SOPA creator caught in own web
"The author of the controversial SOPA bill which seeks to introduce stricter penalties for companies and individuals caught violating copyright laws online, has been caught in his own web.
"An archived screen shot of House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith's, R-TX, website depicts a beautiful lush forest used as a background.
"According to an article by Vice.com, this stock image traced back to photographer DJ Schulte.
"The photographer protects his image under the Creative Commons license, which allows anyone to use an image so long as they attribute the image to the photographer and do not use it for commercial purposes.
"The only problem is that attribution for the image does not appear on the site. If Smith's proposed bill were to pass, action could be taken against his own website.
"Lamar's website no longer utilizes stock images, save for one banner strip across the top, but this incident exposes the faults and vagueness that critics point out in the bill...."
In fairness, anybody can make a mistake. Maybe whatever underling Lamar Smith told to do the website simply forgot to include the Creative Commons license attribution.
On the other hand, that's embarrassing. And an example of what could get someone's website kicked off the Internet, under SOPA provisions.
Not that Smith would be affected. He's important. As long as he was part of the Washington set, it's unlikely that some trifling little peccadillo like using DJ Schulte's picture without attribution would result in SOPA enforcement.
The story might be different, if whoever committed such an act of 'piracy' was one of those 'troublemakers' who don't agree with our great leaders in Washington. And that's almost another topic.
Related posts:
- "Lemming Tracks: SOPA, Censorship, and 'Protection' "
(January 13, 2012)
- "Lemming Tracks: SOPA, Tech-Savvy Folks, Hollywood, and Congress"
(January 9, 2012)
- "SOPA: 20 Reasons Why It's a Really Bad Idea"
(December 30, 2011)
- "SOPA, Censorship, the Twits in Washington, and a Ranting Lemming"
(December 28, 2011)
- "Lemming Tracks: Internet Freedom; or 'Be Careful What You Wish For' "
(April 19, 2011)


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An Optimized Website can Help the Press Find You!
Today, the AP released a story titled "Local Food Movement Boost Local Butchers' Business" not only mentioned my family's butcher shop, but they quoted my brother John and included pictures. In the article, my brother states business has "doubled" during the past five years. The story circulated all over the Internet. I honestly never thought I'd see the day when one of brothers were quoted on Forbes.com! It happened today!
A Second Mention in the Press
B&B' Grocery, Meat & Deli's famous Quadzilla Burger was also mentioned in an Des Moines Metromix article titled "Wow, we're stuffed, 7 foods to die for." The press doesn't stop there. Last week, B&B celebrated its 88th Anniversary and WHOTV, a local News Channel, reported about the anniversary during their nightly television newscast. Listed below are other times they were mentioned in different publications and/or blogs in the past 12 months.
- April 8, 2010 – AssociatedContent.com Article – Three Best Hamburger Joints in Des Moines, Iowa
- February 22, 2010 – Dienu.com Blog Article – Want to Grab Lunch?
- February 18, 2010 – Des Moines Cityview Article "Step inside to see results from the… GREATEST POLL on earth" By the way, B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli was voted Des Moines "Best Mom & Pop" and Des Moines "Best Kept Secret on the Local Restaurant Scene"
- December 13, 2009 – IowaGirlEats.com Blog Article – "Eating in the Killer Zone"
- October 20, 2009 – The ISU Foodest Blog Article – "I Always Wanted to be a Food Critic…"
- May 11, 2009 – The Des Moines Register ran an article on George Formaro, local celebrity chef, where he mentioned B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli's breaded pork tenderloin sandwich as one of his favorite Des Moines food.
- May 9, 2010 – Des Moines Cityview Article – "Postively Pork"
These are the articles that we know about. I'm sure there are even more!
"It was the Website!"
John, my oldest brother and co-owner, told me that their business has more than doubled in the past 5 years. In fact, he said they are busier now than they've ever been. Why? He believes the majority of the success is due to the website. Joe, my other brother and co-owner, also believes the popularity of the store is due to the website. He tells me there's not a day that they don't wait on a new customer that found B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli on the Internet. Of course, I remind both my brothers that they have a good quality product that people want.
Be Visible on the Internet
Have you ever wondered why another business was mentioned in an article? Why wasn't it your business? Being easy to find on the Internet can help you get your business mentioned in more articles. I'm positive many reporters use Google, Yahoo, and Bing to find various sources for their articles. Therefore, you'll lose public relation opportunities if you don't have an optimized website. You don't have to take this advice from me. Take this advice from the owners of a small eighty-eight year old family butcher shop/deli who were quoted in an article found on sites such as ABC News.