Overview
- A year‑long Lighthouse Reports review of EU inspection records and a wave of Indian social‑media posts on Sunday have focused fresh attention on VFS Global’s operations.
- The investigation cites specific data‑protection problems including storage of personal and biometric files on unencrypted media, transmission by open email, and failure to destroy old records, raising GDPR compliance questions.
- Applicants and reporters say VFS staff frequently promoted paid value‑added services—like premium lounges, couriers, SMS alerts and photo services—in some cases presenting them as necessary and adding substantial cost.
- VFS Global has rejected the allegations, saying paid services are government‑approved, clearly marked as optional and that its centres operate under client‑government oversight; no public regulatory enforcement action has been reported.
- The controversy spotlights the risks of privatizing consular tasks, could prompt tighter checks by client governments, and affects millions of travellers who depend on visa centres for timely, low‑cost processing.