UK Visa Portal spilled thousands of applicants’ passports and selfies online — and hasn’t fixed the leak

A third-party website used in the U.K. visa process exposed thousands of applicants’ sensitive documents, including passport images and selfies. The report says the company has not fixed the leak and responded through attorneys instead.

The incident highlights the risks of outsourcing sensitive government-adjacent services without strong security oversight. Exposure of identity documents can fuel fraud and raises pressure for stricter vendor accountability in immigration tech systems.

The third-party website exposed applicants' sensitive documents as part of the U.K. visa application process. Instead of fixing the issue, the company sent attorneys.