London, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — For millions of travellers, planning a trip abroad means facing uncertainty and anxiety as they jump through hoops trying to satisfy complex visa requirements. In order to tackle this kind of travel inequality, Atlys has today announced its expansion into the UK market. The digital visa platform’s UK expansion follows a fresh $20 million funding round from marquee global investors.
As part of its UK expansion, Atlys has acquired Artionis, a UK-based visa services company, bringing aboard 40 specialists across offices in London, Manchester, and Edinburgh. It plans to double headcount to 80 employees in the UK this year. The acquisition strengthens Atlys’ expertise in specialised visa routes, that will cater to 36% of the UK population made up of non-UK passport holders as well as those who prefer a DIY approach to visa applications.
Atlys founder and CEO: Mohak Nahta.
“Expanding to the UK represents more than just market growth – it’s about creating a more equitable travel ecosystem,” said Mohak Nahta, Founder and CEO of Atlys. “Our platform is designed to make international travel accessible to everyone, regardless of their passport strength, and the UK’s strategic position will help us extend this impact across Europe.”
The Atlys digital visa application experience.
Since its inception in 2021, Atlys has processed over two million visas for people, transforming a traditionally complex process through intelligent automation. The platform’s unique predictive engine provides exact visa approval timelines and backs this certainty with refund guarantees for rejected or delayed applications. Users can complete applications in under five minutes and upload documents once to become visa-ready for more than 100 countries, eliminating redundant paperwork. Within six months of its launch, Atlys rapidly became the largest visa processor in India – capturing a lion’s share of the market. Building on that momentum, Atlys launched its services in the UAE last year and has quickly established a strong foothold in the country where 90% of the population is made up of expatriates, creating a pressing demand for a streamlined visa solution.
Atlys offers transparency on your visa application process.
Atlys’s impact can be seen in the stories of users like George, who booked a flight to Dubai to visit his ailing mother and only realized at the airport that his UAE visa had expired. With Atlys’s assistance, he secured a new visa in just 30 minutes – just in time to board his plane. Another case highlighting Atlys’s effectiveness is Muhammad, a businessman from Hyderabad who initially had his European visa application denied. Atlys guided him through the process, recommended the most suitable embassy, and helped craft a strong application that showcased his ties to India, ultimately leading to an approval.
The platform’s origin story reflects its mission. The idea for Atlys was born when Mohak Nahta, while working at Pinterest, faced a stark contrast in travel preparation compared to his American colleagues. As the only Indian team member planning a five-country work trip, Nahta had to secure multiple visas, each requiring him to submit the same documents over and over again. This frustration led him to envision a platform where travellers could upload documents once and instantly become visa-ready for multiple countries. What started as a side project quickly gained traction among friends, with word-of-mouth driving rapid adoption.
The founder’s belief in the solution led to unconventional growth tactics. He began visiting San Francisco’s international airport wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the words “Got Questions on Turkey e-Visa?”, helping confused travellers navigate recent rule changes – until security eventually banned him from the premises. This grassroots approach and clear market need convinced Nahta to leave Pinterest and pursue Atlys full-time.
“Since our initial investment, Atlys has demonstrated exceptional growth, processing over two million visas while maintaining strong user satisfaction,” said Shraeyansh Thakur, Principal at Peak XV. “Their data-driven approach and focus on user experience set them apart. The UK expansion represents a significant step toward becoming the definitive platform for global travel enablement.”
The expansion comes as the global travel sector shows considerable growth, with the World Travel & Tourism Council valuing the market at nearly $9 trillion in 2023 and projecting over 1.8 billion international arrivals by decade’s end. Beyond visas, Atlys is evolving into a comprehensive travel companion having added eSIMs, Forex, and travel insurance to their offering, with plans to expand into curated experiences.
Looking ahead, Atlys will leverage its new funding to drive product innovation and broader expansion, empowering even more global travellers to explore the world with confidence – regardless of their passport strength.
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Media images can be found here.
About Atlys
Founded in 2021 by Mohak Nahta, Atlys simplifies visa processing and global travel. Through its intuitive platform, even first-time travellers can confidently navigate visa applications. Driven by the mission to enable every person to travel freely, Atlys is paving the way for a world where borders are no longer a barrier to exploration.
