New Delhi — An Indian traveler who applied for a UAE visa through Atlys, the San Francisco-based visa processing platform, has accused the company of failing to deliver a refund it publicly promised after his application was rejected twice.
The traveler, who spoke to The Eastern Herald, said he relied on Atlys’s prominent claims that “Visa Fee Refunded” if an application was unsuccessful.
“It was clearly written on their website. There was no ambiguity,” he said. “That’s the only reason I trusted them.”
Two rejections, no refund
According to documents reviewed by The Eastern Herald, the traveler applied for a 60-day Dubai single-entry visa in June. When the application was denied, Atlys encouraged a second submission, saying some travelers succeed on re-application.
The second application was also rejected. In both cases, Atlys sent notifications acknowledging the denial, but the customer claims, declined to process any refund, contrary to its explicit promise.
“They kept repeating that some people get approved the second time,” the traveler said. “But when it failed again, they simply refused to return the fees.”
Clear promises contradicted
Screenshots of Atlys’s official page, accessed and verified by The Eastern Herald, showed a clear set of refund scenarios:
- Your visa is approved: Pay the Atlys Fee.
- Your visa is approved late: Atlys Fee Waived.
- Your visa is rejected: Visa Fee Refunded.
The statements appeared directly under the “Start Application” button, leaving little doubt about what was being offered.
Yet after the rejections, Atlys invoked standard Terms & Conditions, disclaiming any responsibility, despite what the page stated.
Broader questions about transparency
Atlys, which has raised millions in venture capital funding, has built its brand on simplifying and speeding up visa applications. The company has processed visas for destinations including the UAE, the UK, and Schengen countries.
But consumer advocates say this case points to a deeper problem in India’s fast-growing digital visa sector: platforms advertising guarantees that are difficult to enforce when things go wrong.
A Delhi-based consumer rights lawyer said the conduct may fall under misleading advertising and unfair trade practices.
“If a platform publishes a direct promise of refund and then refuses to comply, it can be a violation of the Consumer Protection Act,” Puri said in an interview. “These companies assume consumers will not fight back.”
Patterns of complaint
Atlys has faced similar allegations before. A review of Trustpilot, Reddit, and other consumer forums shows complaints of inconsistent communication, hidden fees, and denials of refunds even when the platform’s own marketing materials appeared to guarantee them.
“It’s like the small print nullifies everything they say upfront,” said a separate traveler who shared a similar experience on Reddit.
What Atlys says
The Eastern Herald reached out to Atlys multiple times by email and through the company’s help center to ask why the refund was denied and whether it planned to reconsider. No response was received before publication.
Atlys’s Terms & Conditions posted on its website state that visa fees are non-refundable. However, the guarantee published on the UAE visa page directly contradicts this policy, creating confusion about which policy applies.
Broader pattern of complaints against Atlys
The episode appears to be part of a wider trend. A review of public reviews on Trustpilot, Reddit, and Google shows many consumers reporting similar grievances, including unexpected delays, unresponsive support, and difficulties securing promised refunds. Some reviewers described the process as “opaque” and “frustrating,” while others alleged that Atlys’ marketing claims did not match their experience.
Another user on Reddit, who applied for a visa to Japan on Atlys, said “dont use atlys they are literally harassing me i have applied japan visa on 9 feb docs sent to embassy on 13 march and yesterday i asked embassy why my visa is delayed and they replied your documents are still not submitted now atlys have stopped picking my calls neither they are replying to my mails all my money went to complete waste thanks to vfs they are ready to help me.”
Another user who applied for a visa to Singapore wrote on Reddit, “I’ve used Atlys for my Singapore visa and had a horrible experience. Singapore visa usually takes 7-15 working days and I had submitted my documents one month in advance to them and they still didn’t process it until the day of my travel. I filed a consumer court case against them and they haven’t responded. It’s been 5 months since the court gave judgement but the company is not responding to my emails or post and they are not obeying the court order.”
Another user on TrustPilot wrote, “ATLYS are LIARS AND SCAMMERS. DO NOT TRUST THEM. They will cause you to lose a lot of money and cause visa rejections. I have all the evidence of the chats and terrible customer service.”
What can consumers do when companies break their promises?
Legal experts advise travelers to retain screenshots of any refund promises and correspondence. If a platform refuses to honor written commitments, consumers can:
- File a complaint with India’s National Consumer Helpline (NCH) at 1800-11-4000
- Submit a chargeback request with their credit card issuer
- Escalate to the Reserve Bank of India Ombudsman for payment disputes
- Seek redress under the Consumer Protection Act
The traveler in this case said he plans to pursue all available options.
“It’s not about the money anymore,” he said. “It’s about showing that companies can’t mislead people and get away with it.”
If you or someone you know has experienced issues with Atlys, write to us at [email protected]. We will do our best to expose such practices.
