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VFS Global is a consular services facilitation company. The company was established in the year 2001 as a specialist Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) agency, exclusively dedicated and focused to serve diplomatic missions and immigration authorities to facilitate the visa application procedures across the world. This organization initially started its operations in Mumbai, India on the initiative of State Department of the United States to serve the interests of Embassy of the United States in India, when the embassy was not able to handle the crowds outside the embassy.

VFS Global serves consular sections of diplomatic missions by providing administrative support. They manage non-judgemental tasks related to the entire lifecycle of a visa application process, thereby enabling the missions to focus on the key tasks of assessment and decision making. VFS Global provides a gamut of services like dedicated visa application centres and websites  ; joint visa application centres  ; biometrics facility , waiting lounges, online appointment scheduling facilities , courier pick up and delivery services.

The company provides consular services in many countries like Australia, China, South Africa, France, Indonesia, Bangladesh, UAE, Russia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Ukraine, etc for people applying for travel permission to countries like USA, UK, India, Canada, France, Belgium, Australia, UAE, Italy and many more. In early 2007, VFS Global was awarded contract by the UKBA worth £ 195 million (spread over 5 years) to provide visa outsourcing services in 7 geographical regions, covering close to about 70% of UKBA visa applications globally. VFS Global is also the first Indian company to be awarded contracts for visa outsourcing services by the Government of India. As on date, VFS Global has been awarded contracts to provide outsource service to the Indian Embassy's at France , Thailand, China, Saudi Arabia, and the Indian High Commissions in Sri Lanka, Australia, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Canada. VFS Global also operates Joint Visa Application Centres for Schengen countries in the Middle East, Europe, Africa & Asia .

VFS Global serves the interest of 26 diplomatic missions in 42 countries worldwide. On behalf of its clients VFS Global handles over seven million applications (contracted) every year through its ISO certified offices.

Controversy

VFS ran into trouble in May 2007, when it was reported that the company's online UK visa application system was flawed and insecure allowing applicants identities to be stolen. It was also reported that the security flaw had affected online applications from India, Nigeria and Russia. The VFS site was immediately shut down after the technical problem was brought to the attention of the UK media and an independent government investigation was launched by the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO).

The security breach which was first reported by an Indian applicant in December 2005 after which no effective remedial action was taken by either VFS nor UKvisas, the joint Home Office and Foreign & Commonwealth Office unit which runs the UK's visa service through British diplomatic Posts overseas. The same applicant went public in May 2007 after he noticed that his earlier warnings were ignored. It is estimated that this security breach has resulted in approximately 50000 applicant's identities having been possibly compromised until its subsequent closure in May 2007 following the media outcry.

The report of the investigation by the Independent Investigator, Linda Costelloe Baker highlighted "organisational failures" by both VFS and UKvisas.

The report also recommended that the VFS online visa applications not be resumed for applications from India. This will be replaced by the secure online applications made available directly at the UKvisas website.

Ms. Baker further mentioned in the report that post this incident, UKvisas conducted an extensive testing and found that there was no evidence to confirm that data has been stolen or misused. VFS underestimated what was necessary in order to protect personal data to the levels expected by the UK Data Protections Act. Post this incident; several visa application level checks were put in place. Along with that technical process were also upgraded later to check the records of the online application site

In November 2007, the UK Information Commissioner's Office announced that it had found the Foreign Office in breach of its obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998. The Information Commissioner's Office required the Foreign Office to sign an undertaking that it will comply with the Data Protection Act and will not reopen the VFS UK visa online facility. It has been reported by the Guardian that as a result of this ruling, the Foreign Office will terminate its relationship with VFS.

Post the tabled report, VFS introduced various measures to ensure safe and secure business environment. One of them was to make all its centres ISO compliant .

Awards & recognitions

- In 2008, VFS Global won Microsoft Security Strategist Award for outstanding leadership in information security (IS).

- In 2009, VFS Global won award at the Lean Six Sigma and process improvement Summit 2009 in the 'Best Process Improvement in Services & Transactions' Category.

Notes

1. Business India: Visa to success
2. Visa application websites
3. Khaleej Times: Schengen nations' joint visa centre in ME
4. FCO: UK Visas and biometrics
5. US Visa in Nigeria and online appointment scheduling
6. Business Line: UKBA global contract
7. Indian Visa in France
8. Schengen Visa Application Centre
9. Client Diplomatic Missions
10. Express Computers: Travel & Hospitality
11. Online visa security flaw Channel 4 News
12. Exposed: Indian visa application data accessible to anyone with a web browser Davey Winder, DaniWeb
13. Statement by Lord Triesman on the reported security breach of the vfs visa application website Government News Network
14. Identity Leakage: Trust VFS to reveal all Sanjib Mitra, Open Circuit
15. Report of the Independent Investigation Foreign & Commonwealth Office
16. Investigator ridicules UK visa site The Register
17. U.K. government slammed over bug in outsourced Web site ComputerWorld
18. Report of the Independent Investigation Report of Ms. Baker
19. Foreign Office in breach of the Data Protection Act Information Commissioner's Office
20. Government broke data protection laws Guardian Unlimited
21. Travel & Hospitality: VFS Global Express Computer Online
22. Technology Senate: Microsoft Security Strategist Awards
23. Express Computer Online: MSSA
24. Six Sigma & Process Improvement Awards - The Americas

External links

• VFS Global
• - Italy visa from UK
• - Greece visa from Russia
• - U.S. visa from Nigeria
• - Dubai visa from Mauritius
• - Portugal visa from India
• - Japan Visa from Thailand

• Companies based in Mumbai
• Companies established in 2001