No more visa woes, says Atlys as it seeks to make visa applications simple using technology

Travelling to a new country sounds exciting, but applying for a visa is a strong deterrent for many. The process is long and overwhelming, with a whole lot of paperwork.

And if the travel involves many countries, the challenge multiplies manifold. This is what Mohak Nahta, a former software engineer at Pinterest, experienced when he tried to obtain five different visas for a work trip.

However, during the process, he also realised that, although each country had a different visa procedure, the documents required were largely the same. He wondered if he could create a tech platform that could consolidate the documentation and simplify the entire visa application experience for travellers.

This led to the birth of Atlys, a centralised visa-processing platform for travellers across the world, in 2021. Every step of the visa journey—from eligibility checks, form filling, document upload to payment, status tracking, and customer support— happens inside a single, secure platform, explains Nahta.

“Instead of juggling dozens of portals, a traveller can apply for visas to 120+ countries from one platform that always shows the latest requirements and real‑time status updates,” he adds.

How it works

The New Delhi-based startup supports a range of visa types, from e-visas to conventional ones requiring physical interviews.

Atlys collects all essential information from the user and uses intelligent systems to automate filling of visa forms accurately and quickly. Its platform compiles all the documentation based on the specific requirements of each country and visa type and ensures that all documents are formatted and submitted correctly.

Visa applicants can scan and upload their passport on Atlys’ platform. The platform also allows real-time scanning of the passport. An AI tool then checks for issues such as glare, blur, or cropping errors and prompts the user to retake the image.

Users have to upload documents just once, and Atlys intelligently consolidates and uses them for future applications as well.

“By uploading core documents and creating a comprehensive profile, applicants are ready to apply for visas to over 100 countries in a matter of minutes,” says Nahta.

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For US visa, Atlys offers a mock-interview tool trained on real-world data to help applicants prepare for consular interviews. An AI-based photo tool helps users generate visa-compliant images by automatically adjusting the background and sizing, eliminating the need for studio visits. For Schengen visa, the platform has a guided interface that helps reduce the time typically spent navigating forms.

A ‘visa probability evaluator’ tool analyses user inputs and past data to provide a general assessment of approval likelihood, along with suggestions for strengthening the application.

All these tools are designed to reduce manual errors, streamline documentation, and improve clarity, thus ensuring accurate submissions that minimise delay and reduce rejections.

Atlys aims to address common inefficiencies in the visa application process using a combination of automation, artificial intelligence, and thoughtful design. The platform supports cross-device functionality, allowing users to start an application on one device and continue on another without restarting the process.

AI is used to verify inputs, offer real-time updates, and predict the exact minute when the visa will be issued. This level of transparency addresses one of the biggest pain points in travel planning—uncertainty, says Nahta.

Speaking of data security, Nahta says the company employs 256-bit AES encryption—used by banks and intelligence agencies—which has strict internal and external access controls. It is also GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation, a European Union law) and ISO (International Organization for Standardization) compliant; so users can rest assured that their data is safe, he adds.

Spreading wings

While the company is headquartered in the United States, a large part of its team—around 100 people—is based in India, with a strong presence in New Delhi. Nahta splits his time between the two countries.

Atlys, which charges a service fee per visa, has processed over 1.2 million visas across India, United Kingdom, UAE and other international markets.

The startup claims to have grown 20x in the last 12 months. India is its largest market, with increasing traction from Tier II and III cities too.

Recently, Atlys acquired the UK branch of Artionis, a travel document management company, to deepen its presence in international markets, especially those with large immigrant populations holding 'weaker' passports.

Weaker passports refer to those passports that rank lower on the global passport index, offering limited visa-free access to other countries and often requiring more documentation and advanced visas for travel.

“There are close to 10 million immigrants in the UK who frequently require visas. With Artionis, we are now better positioned to support the end-to-end visa journey in this corridor, helping us enhance the overall user experience,” says Nahta.

Going forward, Atlys is gearing up for expansion across India, United Kingdom, UAE and other international markets.

The startup has so far raised over $40 million across four funding rounds. It is backed by notable investors including Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Sequoia Capital, and Elevation Capital.

Its latest Series B round of $20 million saw participation from existing backers and new investors such as DST Global and Headline. The funds are being used to scale global operations and enhance the visa application experience for travellers.

“Beyond visas, the company is expanding into complementary services with cross-sell offerings,” says Nahta.

Recent additions to the platform include real-time flight tracking, travel insurance, and instant forex.

“We want to use tech to give people the freedom to travel without barriers. Atlys condenses what once took hours—or even days—into a short, straightforward digital flow. This gives people the confidence to plan journeys without hesitation,” says the founder.