As governments worldwide delegate administrative tasks, companies such as BLS International play an expanding role in visa processing, consular operations, and citizen services.
As governments around the world increasingly turn to private firms to handle administrative and public-facing services, a quiet transformation has been reshaping how visa applications, passport renewals, and citizen services are delivered. From biometric data collection to appointment scheduling and document verification, the outsourcing of consular services has become a critical component of modern diplomacy and international mobility infrastructure.
Within this evolving landscape, a number of firms have emerged to meet the growing demand for efficiency, security, and scalability. One of the companies that has expanded significantly over the past two decades is BLS International, a tech-enabled service provider based in India. While it began as a visa processing partner for a single European embassy in New Delhi in 2005, the company has since built a presence in over 70 countries, working with a range of foreign ministries and diplomatic missions to manage consular and citizen services.
Its early contracts with European embassies helped establish the groundwork for a more global footprint. By the end of the 2000s, the company had secured partnerships to operate on behalf of Indian missions in various countries, including Kuwait, Sudan, and Russia. In the following decade, BLS International expanded its footprint into the Gulf, Southeast Asia, North America, and later the Asia-Pacific region. A major milestone came in 2016 with a €175 million contract from Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, solidifying its status as a key player in the outsourced visa services industry.
The company has also participated in e-governance initiatives within India, notably managing over 2,100 Seva Kendras in Punjab under a state-backed digital services program. In recent years, its service portfolio has expanded beyond visa processing to include biometric enrollment, travel insurance, mobile biometric services, and other auxiliary support functions.
Strategic acquisitions have played a central role in its growth. These include the 2018 acquisition of financial services provider Starfin India Pvt. Ltd., the 2022 purchase of Zero Mass Pvt. Ltd. for $15.4 million, and a significant 2024 acquisition of iDATA for approximately €80 million. The latter move expanded BLS International’s operations across 15 countries, primarily supporting the governments of Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic.
As of 2024, the company continues to manage a wide array of consular services across multiple continents, having secured contracts from various European, African, and Asian governments. Listed on the National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange, BLS International represents a growing segment of private enterprises that operate at the intersection of public service delivery and cross-border administration.
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