Why is it so hard for Indians to get a visa?

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Applying for a visa to Europe’s border-free Schengen zone can be a humbling experience. “One must set aside ego," says an applicant from Bangalore.

“I feel stripped bare each time I apply," says another from Mumbai. The bureaucratic grind can wear down even the most seasoned traveller. Tourists and businesspeople wanting to visit Europe must provide heaps of paperwork—forms, months of bank statements, pay slips and tax returns.

After all that, successful applicants are typically granted visas that cover only the length of their trip. For those needing to return, the whole ordeal begins anew. Citizens of rich countries do not need a visa for short stays in most parts of the world.

But those from the developing world often do. Indians are among the worst off (see chart). For them, the high fees, long waits and application hurdles of the visa process make travel, whether for business or leisure, much tougher.

A handful of private firms are cashing in. Outsourcing companies now handle 40% of visa applications on behalf of governments. Although consulates still make the final decision, these contractors verify paperwork, collect fingerprints and gather other biometric data from applicants.

Three firms—VFS Global, TLScontact and BLS International—control over 70% of the market, with VFS alone holding half the overall share. An early entrant, VFS processed 6m applications for 25 governments in 2008. By last year, that number was 26m applications for 67 governments.