VFS Global's Hidden Revenue Model: How They Exploit Applicants
I am extremely disappointed with the service provided by VFS Global. Despite your claims of having "global standards," my experience has been nothing but frustrating and unprofessional. Finding contact information on your website was a nightmare, and the fact that I have to pay $2.48 per minute to speak with representatives who lack basic knowledge about Nepal is utterly unacceptable. For your information, Nepal is a neighboring country to India with deep historical, cultural, and religious ties. Nepali and Indian citizens do not need visas to travel between the two countries. The only reason I applied for an OCI card was to simplify my travel process.
It is outrageous that VFS Global, an outsourced service provider, assumes the authority to decide eligibility for an OCI card, particularly when all requirements are met in cases like mine. Your job is to facilitate applications, not make arbitrary decisions that impact applicants.
Your refund policy is equally appalling. According to your website:
"If your application is rejected or unprocessed applications are returned after 21 days by VFS Indian Consular Application Centre, you will receive your eligible refunds within 15 business days."
Where is my refund? My application number is xxxxxxxxxx It has been far beyond the stipulated timeframe, yet there is no update or refund. Why do customers have to chase your company repeatedly for refunds? This lack of accountability is unacceptable.
Your "premium service" model seems to be a money-making machine, designed to exploit applicants. Why are customers being charged exorbitantly for basic tasks that should already be covered by the application fees? For instance:
Missing/Additional Documents: $1.04 per page
Uploading Digital Photo/Signature: $7.99
One-way Courier Fee: $18; Two-way Courier Fee: $36
Online Payment Convenience Fee: 3.5%
In my case, I was asked to resubmit the same documents multiple times. After mailing them again, I was told they were "not received," forcing me to pay extra to upload them digitally. These charges are nothing but a scheme to milk more money from frustrated applicants.
Your focus appears to be on upselling "premium services" rather than delivering the basic services you are paid to provide. This is unethical and shameful. How much profit does VFS Global make by systematically creating barriers for applicants and then charging them to overcome those barriers?
To all potential customers reading this review: BEWARE. This company should not be trusted with premium services when they cannot handle standard applications responsibly. If you've experienced similar issues, I encourage you to leave your reviews and share your frustrations.
VFS Global, it is time to reflect on your practices and prioritize customer service over profit. Refund my money immediately and resolve pending issues for others as well. Exploiting people who are already paying you to do your job is unacceptable.
VFS Global's Exploitation: A Financial Breakdown
VFS Global appears to have a systematic revenue model based on additional charges and delays that heavily burden applicants. Here's a financial analysis focusing on their practices in the USA alone:
Document Upload Fees
Many applicants are forced to re-upload documents, incurring a charge of $1.04 per page. Assuming 50% of the estimated 4.5 million Indian residents in the USA apply for OCI and use this service:
Revenue: $11.7 million
Phone Call Charges
VFS charges $2.48 per minute for customer support. Assuming 50% of applicants make one 20-minute call:
Revenue: $55.8 million
Premium Service Fees
VFS aggressively markets "premium services" at an average cost of $500 per applicant. If 10% of applicants opt for this service:
Revenue: $112.5 million
Refund Delays
For rejected applicants (10% of the total), VFS holds refunds for two months. Assuming the application fee is $293, and a conservative annual ROI of 5% on the held funds:
Revenue from interest: $550,519
Total Revenue in the USA
Combining all these streams, VFS generates an estimated $180.55 million from the USA alone.
Global Implications
If these figures are extrapolated to the global Indian population (~200 million), the revenue would likely amount to billions of dollars, demonstrating a massive financial gain at the expense of applicants.