The Take
The Take
Al Jazeera
Inside the billion-dollar business of getting a visa
15 minutes Posted Jun 2, 2026 at 4:00 am.
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Getting a visa can be expensive, frustrating, and for many people, unsuccessful. So what happens when governments outsource that process to private companies? An investigation by Lighthouse Reports examines VFS Global, the world’s largest visa processing firm, revealing how billions in applications generate enormous profits, even when visas are denied.

In this episode: 

  • May Bulman (@maybulman), Investigative Editor, Lighthouse Reports

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by our guest host, David Enders, Sarí el-Khalili, and Catherine Nouhan. It was edited by Alexandra Locke. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Rick Rush mixed this episode. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. 

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