E-Visa Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• Advancements in biometric and AI technologies: The incorporation of biometric authentication methods such as facial recognition, iris scanning, and fingerprint identification has significantly increased the security and accuracy of e-visa systems. The use of AI in automating the decision-making process flags fraudulent applications and accelerates the visa approval process. These technologies help governments reduce human error, enhance national safety, and offer faster service to travelers. For instance, in February 2025, VFS Global introduced a generative AI-powered chatbot to help UK visa applicants in over 141 countries. The chatbot handles customer inquiries, guides users through application procedures, and offers 24/7 multilingual support, significantly enhancing user experience and reducing manual workload. AI tools like this are also being used for real-time risk assessment and fraud detection, showcasing how intelligent automation is reshaping e-Visa services.
• Government initiatives and digital transformation: Governments across the globe are emphasizing digital transformation as part of a broader policy strategy aimed at improving governance and public service delivery. In the immigration sector, this has resulted in the digitization of visa systems, allowing seamless data handling, faster processing, and transparency. Many countries are collaborating with private tech firms to build flexible, secure digital platforms for e-Visas. In August 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs revealed that India had expanded its e-visa facility to include 172 countries, making it one of the most accessible digital visa systems globally. This move has significantly boosted tourism, made business travel and bureaucratic procedures convenient. This move is a reflection of India’s wider digital governance efforts, such as the Digital India initiative.
• Cost efficiency and administrative streamlining: One of the key advantages of e-visa systems is the decrease in operational and administrative expenditures. Digital visa platforms remove the need for physical paperwork, postal deliveries, and in-person visits, leading to significant savings in time and resources for visa applicants and the government. These savings can be redirected into improving infrastructure or scaling up digital services. Multiple reports, including those from Global Growth Insights and Market Research, highlight how e-Visas cut down on the cost of printing, distributing physical documents, and employing large processing teams. Governments have reported increased efficiency in visa issuance, with turnaround times shrinking from weeks to just a few days, thanks to centralized digital processing systems.

Challenges

• Cybersecurity Challenges: One main challenge of the e-visa market is the rising cybersecurity concerns. As e-Visa systems manage sensitive personal and biometric data, they are the main targets for cyberattacks and data breaches. Thus, ensuring robust security measures across all components, such as data storage, identity verification, and application processing, is critical. However, maintaining high security while scaling systems globally and integrating third-party technologies remains complex and expensive. A slight exposure to risks can compromise user trust and disturb international travel and immigration processes.
• Digital infrastructure gaps: The digital infrastructure gaps are significant barriers to the adoption of e-visa platforms. Most countries in the developing regions have low infrastructure development budgets, which directly impacts the trade of ICT solutions, including e-visa solutions. The limited broadband coverage and access to mobile internet further deter the expansion of the e-visa solution trade.