What Is BLS International, The Company Under Scanner In Spain’s Schengen Visa Fraud Probe?

BLS International, an India-based visa and consular services provider, has come under the spotlight following reports that Spain’s National Court has expanded an investigation into an alleged visa fraud network at the Spanish Consulate in Algiers.

The development triggered a 9% decline in BLS International’s shares.

What does BLS International actually do?

BLS International essentially works as an outsourced service provider for governments and diplomatic missions. Instead of embassy officials handling every administrative step of a visa application, governments can appoint companies such as BLS to manage the front-end processes.

Its responsibilities can include collecting visa applications, scheduling appointments, receiving and checking supporting documents, collecting biometric information and providing other administrative services.

However, BLS does not decide whether an applicant receives a visa. The final decision rests with the concerned government, embassy or consular authority.

According to the company’s website, BLS International provides end-to-end solutions across e-governance, attestation, biometrics, e- visa, and retail services, consistently setting industry benchmarks.

Established in 2005, BLS is the only listed company in this sector. Its  website shows that the company has over 46 client governments across the globe and 50,000 global offices “exclusively working for Governments/Diplomatic Missions”.

According to the company’s website, former Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison is global strategic advisor to BLS International.

Why is BLS being mentioned in Spain's investigation?

Spain’s National Court is investigating allegations that a network operating around the Spanish Consulate in Algiers helped applicants obtain Schengen visas and other permits despite allegedly failing to meet eligibility requirements.

Investigators are examining the possible involvement of administrative service providers handling appointments and documentation, with judicial sources specifically referring to platforms such as BLS.

Applicants allegedly paid large sums, in some cases reportedly reaching €25,000 per family.

Importantly, the investigation is examining the possible role of BLS-related processing services, and the precise responsibility of the company remains under investigation. The probe followed arrests of two people linked to the Spanish Consulate.

BLS was awarded a €175 million contract by Spain’s Foreign Ministry in 2016 to manage visa appointments and document processing at selected Spanish consulates worldwide.