The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on October 22, 2026, that it will connect OneVasco’s visa concierge service with Timatic, creating a digital path from checking travel-document requirements to applying for a visa. The announcement came from Geneva and described the service as an option for airlines using the platform.
“Understanding what travel documents and visas are required for a journey is complicated,” said Frederic Leger, the association’s Senior Vice President, Products & Services. He said the partnership is intended to help travelers understand what their journeys require and how to meet those requirements.
The connection is designed to bring requirement checks and application assistance into one customer journey. Airlines will decide whether to offer it.
Airlines can choose whether to offer the paid service
The visa concierge will be available to airlines as a supplementary option, not an automatic addition for every airline using the system. The association described the offering as an optional service and its LinkedIn announcement called it a “paid visa concierge service.”
The integration is planned for Timatic Web and Timatic Widget. Those are the two stated points through which airline customers can connect the requirement-checking service with visa application support.
The announcement describes the connection as a service choice for airlines. It does not describe a change to entry rules or make the concierge service a requirement for passengers.
The digital flow supports electronic and sticker visas
A traveler will be able to check documentation requirements for a journey and then move directly to an application through the connected experience. The service is intended to cover both e-visas and sticker visas.
The support spans several parts of the application process. It includes eligibility checks, document verification and application assistance, followed by secure payments and application status tracking.
Travel information from the requirement-checking service will also be incorporated into the company’s visa platform. The partnership describes a two-way data flow, linking journey information with visa support rather than treating the application as a separate, disconnected task.
Mahesh Anchan, OneVasco’s COO, said combining the services would simplify visa journeys and enhance the passenger experience for airline partners. He described the offering as building on the company’s existing global traveler service.
Visa complexity deterred 33% of surveyed passengers
The 2025 IATA Global Passenger Survey found that visa and immigration complexity had deterred 33% of passengers from traveling. That was an increase of 3 percentage points from 2024.
Respondents from Africa and the Middle East were the most discouraged. Among travelers deterred by onerous visa or document requirements, 53% identified process complexity as the main cause.
The partners bring existing services to the arrangement
The travel-document system provides real-time information on requirements for international air travel. Airlines around the world use it to check compliance for more than 1.3 billion passengers each year, according to the association, which describes it as an industry-leading provider.
The visa company has offered concierge services since 2012. Its work combines visa expertise and digital technology, with a trained team that monitors global regulations and provides tailored information and solutions. It supports applications across multiple markets.
The association represents over 370 airlines, accounting for some 85% of global air traffic. Its release listed Corporate Communications as the media contact at +41 22 770 2967.
Anchan said the partnership builds on the service the company already provides to travelers globally: “This builds on the trusted service we deliver to travelers globally.”
