“Sri Lanka has enormous promise, but effective tourism promotion requires both investment and continuous effort” - Zubin Karkaria, Founder & CEO, VFS Global Group

“If given the opportunity, we would be happy to set up an AI Experience Center in Colombo, training youth & building real AI products in Sri Lanka” 

“Our e-visa operations in Sri Lanka followed the same rigour and transparency we apply worldwide, backed by full compliance.”  

 “We have full confidence in Sri Lanka and continue to invest, including our new 80,000-square-foot centre serving 24 governments.”

 “No such allegations have ever been made against us anywhere else; we work with 69 governments, many for over two decades.”  

 “We process 32 million applications a year under the strictest data laws, and there has never been a case of biometrics theft.”  

 “We would be pleased to work with the Sri Lankan government again, bringing value through tourism, youth upskilling, scholarships and AI initiatives.”  

“We never left Sri Lanka. My personal association with the country spans over 30 years, and as VFS Global we have been in Sri Lanka since 2004”, Founder & CEO, VFS Global Group

Over a year after the e-visa system handled by the consortium—comprising IVS-GBS as the primary partner and VFS Global as the technical partner—was suspended in Sri Lanka, Daily Mirror Editor-in-Chief Jamila Husain interviewed Zubin Karkaria, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of VFS Global Group, where he spoke about the organisation’s operations and reiterated that VFS Global maintains the highest level of diligence before contracting with international governments. As VFS Global works with 69 governments globally, Zubin says they are always open to working with the Sri Lankan government on projects even beyond the e-visa system for the youth of the country in areas such as tourism, hospitality, AI and even international student exchange programmes.  

Excerpts of the exclusive interview:   

Q Last year, VFS Global faced a difficult situation in Sri Lanka, including allegations of corruption which led to the e-visa system handled by VFS being suspended. One year later, what is your response to what happened?

VFS Global works with 69 governments globally, including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and many more. These governments conduct the highest level of due diligence before contracting with us.   

So the idea that VFS Global would compromise integrity does not hold true, especially since our e-visa operations in Sri Lanka were conducted with the same rigour and transparency applied across all markets, backed by full regulatory compliance.  

VFS Global is a global leader in trusted technology services serving 69 client governments and is the world’s most experienced partner in eVisa delivery, having designed and implemented digital visa solutions for 14 client governments and processed over 5.3 million eVisa applications to date. Currently, VFS Global manages eVisa programmes — for Azerbaijan, Brazil, Equatorial Guinea, Indonesia, Japan, South Africa, Suriname and Emirates Airlines through Dubai Visa Processing Centre (DVPC).   

We proposed the same advanced technology platform that we deliver to governments globally, with VFS Global investing upfront in the technology and it is structured under our user-pay model with no cost to the government.   

The objective was to strengthen security and efficiency: immigration authorities would receive advance information on incoming passengers, biometric checks would enhance verification, and applicants would benefit from faster, fully digital processing.  

We were later informed that the approving authority’s internal process had come under review. As an external technical partner, we had no visibility into those internal administrative procedures. We operated with full transparency, consistent with our standard approach.  

As the matter is sub judice, I am unable to discuss details, however, I have full faith in Sri Lanka’s judicial process.  

Q  Has VFS Global lost confidence in the Sri Lankan market after what happened?

We have full confidence in the Sri Lankan market and continue to invest in the country, as demonstrated by our new 80,000 sq. ft. centre in Colombo, which is almost four times the size of our earlier premises, serving 24 client governments and employing close to 150 people, thereby creating meaningful job opportunities and supporting community growth.  

Our parent company, Blackstone, has also continued to invest in Sri Lanka since 2020, beginning with the acquisition of PGP Glass and more recently the investment in Altair, reaffirming its confidence in the country’s potential.  

Therefore, we see Sri Lanka as a market with strong long-term prospects, and VFS Global is committed to strengthening our presence in the years ahead.  

Q You operate with some of the most powerful governments in the world. Have you ever faced such allegations elsewhere?

No such allegations have ever been made against us. We work with 69 client governments including the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and 25 of the 29 Schengen states, many of whom we have served for over 20 years.  

Most recently, the UK government awarded us a global contract to deliver visa and passport services across 142 countries.  

Q The public concern in Sri Lanka was that passenger data would be at risk. What do you say to that?

We process 32 million visa applications annually, across 165 countries, and have processed over 500 million applications since inception in 2001. We invest USD 100–150 million annually in IT and cybersecurity. We work under the strictest data laws in the world and adhere to top international standards like ISO 27001, ISO 27701, GDPR, UK Cyber Essentials and national frameworks across Europe.   

Our systems generally automatically purge data in real time after transfer to the respective governments.  

• We don’t store biometrics  
• Frontline terminals are “dummy terminals” — there is no local storage  
• Six global cybersecurity firms audit our systems  
• Our systems are audited on a regular basis by internal auditors, external auditors and client governments   
• There has never been a case of biometrics theft  
• The so-called “data leak” cited in Sri Lanka was test data, not real applicant information.  

Q Would you still consider re-entering the Sri Lankan market despite political instability and policy changes?

We never left Sri Lanka. My personal association with the country spans over 30 years and as VFS Global we have been in Sri Lanka since 2004.   

My association with Sri Lanka dates back to my time heading the Tour Operating division of Kuoni South Asia. Sri Lanka was one of Kuoni UK’s key long-haul destinations, and we even launched the first dedicated Sri Lanka brochure to raise awareness, revive tourism post-tsunami, and showcase the country’s diverse attractions.   

We partnered closely with in-country entities such as John Keells (through Walkers Tours) for more than two decades — Kuoni promoted and sold Sri Lanka packages overseas, while John Keells delivered exceptional on-ground experiences. At the time, we were the UK’s leading tour operator sending visitors to Sri Lanka.  

This long-standing connection continued when VFS Global was launched within the Kuoni Group, where the Kuoni Foundation remains a significant shareholder even today.  

If offered the opportunity, we would be pleased to collaborate once again with the Sri Lankan government in areas where our global expertise can add real value to citizens and the country’s development priorities.  

Q  Beyond visas, what value can VFS Global bring to Sri Lanka?

A lot - far beyond visa processing.  

Tourism Promotion

 With visa centres in 165 countries, we already operate in Sri Lanka’s key source markets — India, the UK, Germany, China, Australia, France among others. This gives Sri Lanka access to a large footfall of genuine travellers across these locations. Through in-centre branding and focused roadshows, we can create consistent global visibility for Sri Lanka, without the need for large marketing budgets.  

Youth Upskilling and Jobs

We run the VFS Global Academy, which operates 11 training centres across four countries, building a strong international presence focused on skill development and hospitality placements with leading hotel chains including Marriott and the Taj. We train Sri Lankan youth through our academies and secure 100 per cent placements locally and abroad.  

Through our Tourism Skilling Programme, we are building the capabilities of professionals in Galle, Negombo, Riverston, and Haputale, with a focus on women and youth. In the first year, we trained over 100 participants across three batches. In this we have partnered with ASSIST (Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable transformation) and NCPC (National Cleaner Production Centre). and through our partnership with GDD Ceylon, we’re empowering 750 Sri Lankan students with career readiness training.  

International Scholarships 

We work with Technische Universität Austria to offer government-funded, subsidised bachelor’s and master’s programmes in Austria. Through the programme, students obtain engineering degrees, guaranteed placements and work permits in Europe. These are life-changing opportunities for students who cannot afford an overseas education.  

AI and innovation centers in Dubai, India and soon in Berlin.  

If given the opportunity, we would be happy to set up an AI Experience Center in Colombo, training youth and building real AI products in Sri Lanka.  

Q  Do you think Sri Lanka has been promoted adequately as a tourism destination?

As an Executive Committee Member of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), I am well aware of Sri Lanka’s potential. With our experience, we believe VFS Global can contribute meaningfully to strengthening inbound tourism. Sri Lanka has enormous promise, but effective tourism promotion requires both investment and consistency—areas that can be challenging.   

Sri Lanka’s tourism strengths are well recognised, and we believe we can complement the government’s ongoing efforts by leveraging our global network and in-centre visibility in key source markets.   

We have a proven track record of supporting destinations such as VisitBritain, the Czech Tourist Authority, and the Saudi Tourism Authority, and we are well placed to showcase Sri Lanka’s strengths through our global reach. Our tourism services vertical currently works with the Czech Tourist Authority, Bintan Resorts Cakrawala, Miral Destinations, the Saudi Tourism Authority, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, and the Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism across multiple markets.  

Q  Who is Zubin Karkaria? How should the world see you?

My priority has always been to build an organisation anchored in trust, responsibility and long-term value creation. VFS Global’s journey from a single operation in India in 2001 to a network spanning more than 165 countries today reflects that focus. Our commitment to ethical, transparent and sustainable business practices is embedded in everything we do, and it continues to guide how we support governments and citizens across the world.  

 I live by three Zoroastrian principles:  

- Good thoughts  

-Good words  

- Good deeds  

I believe positions of power are given so you can serve others. Success is meaningless if you don’t help people. Humility is essential no matter how big you become. I teach my children the same. My goal is to support people wherever possible, whether through jobs, education, or upskilling.