A company turned visas to Europe into big business
a day ago
- #consumer fees
- #investigative journalism
- #visa processing
- VFS Global, a Dubai-based company largely owned by Blackstone, holds a near-monopoly on outsourced visa processing for many European countries.
- The investigation by Lighthouse Reports and partners revealed VFS charges high fees for optional services like storage and document verification, which are sometimes forced upon visa applicants.
- Despite complaints about failures in basic services, VFS has made significant profits from these extra charges, while EU governments continue to use its services.