 | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Services |
| Headquarters | New Delhi, India |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
|
| Revenue |  ₹1,676.8 crore (US$200 million) (2024) [1] |
| Total equity | ₹1,207.6 crore (US$140 million) (2024) [2] |
Number of employees | 60,000 (2024) [3] |
| Website | www |
BLS International is a New Delhi-based company that provide visa, passport, consular, and citizen services. The company was founded in 2005 and operates in over 66 countries across five continents.
The company was established in 2005 in New Delhi, India, [4] and began its operations by securing a contract with the Portuguese Embassy in Delhi to handle visa processing. Over the subsequent years, from 2006 to 2010, the company expanded its services to include visa processing for European embassies, such as those of Austria, Belgium, Greece, and Tunisia. By 2008, BLS International had extended its operations internationally, providing services for the Indian Embassy in countries including Spain, Kuwait, Sudan, and Russia. [5] [6]
In 2011, BLS International opened Visa Application Centers (VACs) for the Indian Embassy in the UAE and other Indian missions in Southeast Asia. [7] The company continued to expand in 2012 by initiating visa processing services for Indian embassies in Saudi Arabia and Singapore. [8] Between 2014 and 2015, BLS International extended its services to seven additional Indian missions abroad, including in the United States and Canada.
In 2016, BLS International was awarded a contract by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MAEC) for global visa outsourcing, valued at €175 million. [9] Additionally, the company was contracted by the Government of Punjab, India to manage 2,147 Seva Kendras as part of an e-governance project. [10]
In 2017, BLS International broadened its service offerings by providing consular services to Afghan nationals in several Gulf countries, marking an expansion beyond its traditional focus on visa processing for Indian nationals. [11] [12] [13] [14]
Starting in 2018, BLS International introduced several value added services, such as travel insurance, mobile biometrics, and courier services. In 2019, the company expanded its operations into the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, China, and Japan. [15] By 2021, BLS International had integrated advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to enhance biometric enrolment and document verification processes. [16] The company also expanded its e-governance solutions to support digital transformation initiatives. From 2022 to 2024, BLS International further extended its operations into Africa and Latin America. [17]
In August 2024, the company was awarded a contract for global visa outsourcing by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic. [18] Previously, in May 2023, the company secured a renewal of its contract with Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MAEC) for the second consecutive term. [19]
During this period, the company also expanded its operations with several regional contracts. In November 2022, the company began providing services for the Embassies of Germany in the United States of America and Mexico. [20] In July 2023, it secured contracts with the Embassies of Italy in Kazakhstan, Senegal, Cameroon, Abu Dhabi, Pakistan, and Mali. [21] This was followed by contracts in February 2024 for the Embassies of Hungary in Algeria, Bangladesh, Canada, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, and Uzbekistan. [22] In March 2024, the company added the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Botswana to its portfolio. [23] [24] In July 2024, the company began providing services for the Embassy of Poland in the Philippines. [25] The company began providing services for the Embassy of Portugal in Morocco in May 2024. [26]
The company's equity shares are listed on the National Stock Exchange of India, the Bombay Stock Exchange and Metropolitan Stock Exchange. [27]
Outsourcing is a business practice in which companies use external providers to carry out business processes, that would otherwise be handled internally. Outsourcing sometimes involves transferring employees and assets from one firm to another.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA) is a bureau of the United States Department of State reporting to the under secretary of state for management. The mission of the Bureau is to administer laws, formulate regulations and implement policies relating to the broad range of consular services and immigration. As of 2021, the bureau is headed by the Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Rena Bitter.
Visa requirements for Polish citizens are public health and administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Poland.
VFS Global is a visa and passport administration outsourcing company for governments and diplomatic missions. Zubin Karkaria founded the company in 2001 while he was chief executive at Kuoni Travel. Formerly based in India, the company is now headquartered in Dubai with offices in 147 countries. In 2018, VFS processed approximately 25 million visa applications, often containing passport details and financial histories, on behalf of the British Home Office and 61 other governments.
Visa requirements for United States citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states that are imposed on citizens of the United States.
Visa requirements for Romanian citizens are the administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other territories affecting citizens of Romania. As of July 2024, Romanian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 177 countries and territories, ranking the Romanian passport 14th in terms of travel freedom, according to the Henley Passport Index.
Visa requirements for Hungarian citizens are administrative entry restrictions imposed on citizens of Hungary by the authorities of other states.
Visa requirements for Pakistani citizens are the requirements by other countries to obtain a visa before entry on an ordinary Pakistani Passport.
Visa requirements for Indian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of India.
Visa requirements for British citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the United Kingdom.
Visa requirements for French citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of France.
Visa requirements for Italian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Italy.
Visa requirements for Malaysian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Malaysia.
Visa requirements for Mexican citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Mexico
Visa requirements for Argentine citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Argentina.
Visa requirements for Chilean citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Chile entering with a Chilean passport.
Visa requirements for Slovak citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Slovakia. As of July 2024, Slovak citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 184 countries and territories, ranking the Slovak passport 9th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.
Visitors to India must obtain a visa unless they come from one of the visa-exempt countries. Nationals of certain countries may obtain a visa on arrival or an e-Visa online, while others must obtain a visa from an Indian diplomatic mission.
The Consulate General of the United States of America in Chennai represents the interests of the United States government in Chennai, India and surrounding regions. The consulate reports to the ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. The current Consul General, the 27th, is Christopher W. Hodges, incumbent since July 2023. He was preceded by Judith Ravin.
Visa requirements for German citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Germany.
Employees: 60,000
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