France, June 13 -- If you are applying in Senegal for a French visa, or in the Democratic Republic of Congo for a Chinese visa, your first point of contact may not be an embassy at all, but VFS Global. The outsourcing company manages appointments and application processing on behalf of governments around the world.

With operations in 168 countries and under contract with 71 governments, VFS Global has become a familiar part of the visa process worldwide. Yet for many applicants in Africa, obtaining a visa has become a costly and complicated ordeal.

"I don't really understand how the whole system works," says Aliou, a Senegalese graffiti artist and entrepreneur who regularly applies for visas to Europe.

"What's happening with visas in A...