VFS GLOBAL

VFS Global is an international outsourcing and technology service 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 to 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 operation support, information dissemination, examination and approval of records, phone and email help lines, collection and remittance of fees, biometrics registration,[1] 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,[2] 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.

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

Vital Milestones

— 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 inaugurates 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 – New commercial associate VFS Global for UK visa applications in Colombia [15]

— UK revives two Visa Application Centers; open in Mumbai [16]

— tradition walks 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 2 Visa Application Centers; open in Mumbai [19]

Awards & Recognitions

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 wins’ Dubai Quality Appreciation Award [24]

Controversy

In May 2007, it was reported [25] that the business was connected UK visa application system was flawed. It was, likewise, reported that on-line 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 [27] 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 neither VFS nor 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 on-line visa applications not be restarted for applications from India. The risk-free on-line applications made accessible at the Visa4UK official government web sites of the UK Border Agency have since replaced this.

Baker additionally said in the report[32] 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,[33] while concurrently paying citizen funds to outsourcing firms located in other nations to manage those same visas. There may even be problems in the protection of citizens on account of how private companies can refuse entrance and services to premises, giving momentary chance to defend those citizens to themselves. When seeing a vfs global website, you may not record the session.[34] Whatever goes on there’s lost in the mists of time, giving momentary 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 [35] 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.[3]

However, as this event several authorities have been critical of VFS Global’s skills and have raised concerns over security.[37] “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[38] following reports of a security violation that is similar.[39]

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 administering 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]

Main Points of Profile

Private company Founded Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (July 2001)