The Evolution of BLS
‘Evolution’- A simple term that describes the most dynamic change and growth patterns of humans, nations, and industries.
Circa 1830’s Charles Darwin put forth the ‘Theory of Evolution in which he elaborated on how there is a natural selection of beings in nature based on their survival instinct. He called this ‘Survival of the fittest.
Isn’t it amazing just how applicable this theory, which was explained nearly two centuries ago, is to present-day entities?
In today’s fast-paced world, where the scales of evolution have been multiplied and fast-tracked, it really is the survival of those who are agile to change caused due to growth.
Okay, perhaps this jargon is a little technical. Allow us to reintroduce you to Darwin’s theory with the help of our example.
Presenting BLS International’s evolution:
BLS began operation in 2005 with the vision to make lives easier for Indian Citizens and world travelers by providing unparalleled visa and passport outsourcing services and citizenship services in collaboration with the government of India.
Year after year, we evolve in accordance with your needs and the needs of the nations we cater to. Take a look at our chronology to understand this!
In 2005, as the world was introduced to YouTube, BLS started its operations after receiving its first visa application processing order from the Portuguese Embassy in New Delhi (India).
A year into operations, around 2006-2007, as YouTube gets absorbed by Google, BLS powers through and commences operations for the embassies of Austria, Belgium, Greece, Romania, and Tunisia in India.
While ensuring steady growth as visa and passport outsourcing service providers in their homeland, BLS expanded its global networks in 2008-2010 and started operations for the Embassy of India in Spain, Kuwait, Sudan, and Russia, taking Indian services to new heights. All this while, the world faced a global recession triggered by the bankruptcy of the Lehman Brothers.
In 2011 as the Arab Spring rebellion began in Tunisia, BLS established Visa Application Centres for Indian Embassy in UAE and other Indian Mission’s VACs in South Asian countries. And thus, BLS expanded its visa and passport outsourcing service and operations both on domestic and international soils.
As India’s new President took oath in 2012, BLS commenced operations for the Indian Embassy, providing visa and passport outsourcing services in Saudi Arabia and Singapore.
Around about 2013-2014, as President Obama swears in for his second term as President of the USA, BLS takes strides in fortifying its visa and passport outsourcing services by:
a) Initiating foreign missions abroad (4 missions for an EU country).
b) Adding 7 Indian missions abroad, including high-volume locations in the US and Canada.
A few weeks after ISRO launched the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) in March 2015, BLS began its visa and passport outsourcing services and other operations for the Indian Consulate General of India in Hong Kong, the High Commission of India in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). We also commenced work for the Embassy of Hungary in Baku (Azerbaijan) and the UAE Manpower Contract Embassy of Bangladesh in India.
2016 was a dynamic year for the world in general and for the world of BLS too! Where the world learned about UK’s decision to pass the ‘Brexit Referendum,’ there on the home front, BLS was creating waves too by:
- Managing to get listed on two Indian stock exchanges, the National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange.
- Won the Punjab e-Governance Project.
- Won the 1st Global Visa contract for Major Schengen Country – Spain
What a year 2017 was! As the USA welcomed its 45th President- Donald Trump, BLS made strides on the international front by offering their visa and passport outsourcing services and:
- Commencing Consular Services (ROSC) in Abuja (Nigeria) and Beirut (Lebanon).
- Also won a Citizen Services Contract from the Embassy of Afghanistan.
As SpaceX conducted its maiden flight in 2018, BLS amassed sizeable market shares by:
- Acquiring Delhi-based organization Starfin India Pvt. Ltd.
- Making it to Forbes Asia’s 200 ‘Best under a Billion 2018 list
- Supporting Sopra Steria and UKVI to enable visa renewals in the UK
2019- a year of contemplation for the world, as the US begins to push for the impeachment of Trump and the UK ponders over the effects of Brexit. BLS puts thoughts into action and:
- Expands operations in 11 more cities for Attestation and Apostille services for India’s Ministry of External Affairs
- Commences operations for the Embassy of Vietnam in India
- Enters Fortune India’s Next 500 Companies list of 2019
2020- The deadly Covid-19 virus sweeps all over the world, halting everything and everyone. But BLS’s resilience empowered it to stand strong while weathering the storm and:
- Get authorized to process Portugal visa outsourcing services in Russia from 22 locations.
- Commence visa outsourcing services for Brazil Embassy in China
Reeling from the after-effects of the harsh pandemic, in 2021, the world set into the algorithms of the ‘new normal and BLS:
- Signed an agreement with the Government of Uttar Pradesh, India, to provide Jan Seva Kendras
- Got authorized by the Federal Foreign Office, Germany, for the processing of visas in North America and Mexico
- Got authorized to provide visa outsourcing services for
- The Royal Thai Embassy in Kenya
- Royal Thai Consulate in Mumbai
- Embassy of India in Kuwait
- Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Qatar, Malaysia, and Italy
As we approach the close of 2022, here’s a quick look at the happenings of BLS in the past ten months:
- BLS signed an agreement with the following State Governments to provide digitally optimized Citizen Services:
- Department of Information Technology & Communication, Government of Rajasthan, India
- Department of Administrative Reforms (DPAR), Government of Karnataka, India
- Directorate of Registration and Stamp Revenue, Government of West Bengal, India
- BLS also acquired Zero Mass Private Ltd. (ZMPL) to provide banking correspondent citizen services
After reading our timelines, let’s circle back to our initial discussion of evolution and once again appreciate how it is truly the Survival of the fittest! Technological advancements and operational fine-tuning have characterized BLS’s evolution.
Would you like to learn more about us and our visa and passport outsourcing services? Please visit www.blsinternational.com