The functioning of visa outsourcing giant VFS Global has come under scrutiny after more than 150 inspection reports by European authorities flagged multiple operational concerns at its centres across 20 EU member states between 2020 and 2025.

The reports, accessed by Netherlands‑based investigative newsroom Lighthouse Reports through over 40 Freedom of Information requests to the European Commission, the UK, and various EU governments, highlight issues ranging from weak handling of personal and biometric data to fake visa appointments, visa‑shopping practices, and inadequate communication about optional premium services.

The investigation, carried out in collaboration with media organisations including The Indian Express, also drew on interviews with nearly 150 applicants at VFS centres in Delhi and Mumbai, underscoring widespread concerns about the system.

Every year, more than a million Indians apply for Schengen visas that allow travel across 27 European nations, with demand surging since the pandemic amid rising incomes and growing appetite for international travel. At the centre of this process is Zurich‑ and Dubai‑based VFS Global, which handles applications for several European countries in India.

European inspectors noted that applicants’ biometric data and documents were, in some cases, stored on unencrypted compact discs and transferred insecurely between VFS offices and consulates.

Luxembourg’s embassy reported in a 2023 implementation review that biometric information was being transmitted through open emails whenever errors occurred during collection or transmission. Auditors also found that old CDs containing sensitive applicant information had not been destroyed despite shredders being available at the centres.

The reports additionally highlighted the growing problem of “visa shopping”, where applicants — often through travel agents — sought visas from countries perceived to have faster approval processes before travelling elsewhere within the Schengen area.

Luxembourg’s 2024 inspection report pointed to unusually high “no-show” rates at VFS centres in Ahmedabad, Chandigarh and Jalandhar and said authorities continued to encounter applications tailored to show Luxembourg as the destination even when another country was the real destination.

Fake appointment slots and forged employment contracts used for work visa applications were also detected. Luxembourg authorities observed a rise in fraudulent appointment bookings being sold by travel agents, along with fabricated employment documents submitted in support of national visa applications.

In Switzerland’s case, inspectors found that passports sent back as far back as 2020 were still lying at a VFS facility in New Delhi. Swiss auditors also criticised the company’s handling of fee reimbursements, remarking bluntly in one report that the refund process “does not work at all.”

A separate Schengen evaluation conducted in 2024 involving Germany and Poland reportedly concluded that certain aspects of VFS Global’s operations in India were not fully compliant with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which governs the handling and security of sensitive personal information.

Swedish inspectors, meanwhile, raised concerns about privacy at VFS’s Mumbai office, noting that conversations between applicants and staff could be overheard because counters were separated only by low dividers. Another issue involved inadequate disclosure that premium services — such as lounge access, courier options and SMS alerts — were optional and unrelated to visa approval decisions

VFS Global has denied wrongdoing and maintained that its operations remain subject to continuous oversight by governments. The European Commission, responding to Lighthouse Reports, acknowledged growing dependence on external service providers and said its newly adopted EU Visa Policy Strategy aims to strengthen quality control and monitoring of such agencies.

VFS Global response

A VFS Global spokesperson said: “VFS Global is a trusted partner to governments worldwide. Given the nature of our work in visa administrative services, we operate under rigorous oversight across all markets, including for governments with some of the most stringent integrity and security requirements. For a quarter of a century, we have supported client governments in delivering secure and efficient visa services at scale, and our work is subject to regular competitive tender. We do not tolerate fraud, data misuse, or any conduct that falls below the high standards our clients and their applicants expect of us.

“Our optional value-added services are developed in consultation with, and approved and monitored by, our client governments. Whether applicants choose to use these services or not, they have no bearing on visa application decisions, which are solely a matter for governments. We are committed to ensuring that the optional nature of these services is clearly and consistently communicated at every touchpoint.” (Newswire/ Money Control)

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