Lighthouse Reports Investigation Finds VFS Global Earns Billions Processing Visas, Including Denied Applications

Al Jazeera published a 17-minute-23-second episode on June 2, 2026, that presents an investigation by Lighthouse Reports into VFS Global, the world’s largest visa processing firm. The episode states that governments outsource visa processing to private companies including VFS Global, which handles applications from the Global South.

Lighthouse Reports found that VFS Global generates billions in revenue from these applications.

May Bulman, Investigative Editor at Lighthouse Reports, appears in the episode. The investigation shows VFS Global earns profits even when visa applications are denied. The episode credits list David Enders as guest host along with producers Sarí el-Khalili and Catherine Nouhan.

Alexandra Locke served as executive producer, with sound design by Alex Roldan and mixing by Rick Rush. Video editors were Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. The episode description notes that obtaining a visa can be expensive, frustrating, and unsuccessful for many applicants.

It asks what happens when governments outsource that process to private companies.