We advised BLS International Services Ltd. (BLS International), a global tech-enabled services partner for governments and citizens specialising in the field of visa, passport, consular, and citizen services, on its acquisition of 100% of the shares of İdata Danışmanlık ve Hizmet Dış Ticaret Anonim Şirketi (iData) along with its international subsidiaries.

iData is a prominent player in the visa business having more than 30 visa application centres in more than 15 countries, providing comprehensive visa and consular services and serving as the exclusive visa services provider for the Italian, German and Czech governments.

Our team led by Partner Selahattin Kaya, along with Associates Erkin Tuzcular and Başak Armağan, worked together with Partner Milind Jha and Principle Associate Ira Swain from Dentons Link Legal, India, and Partner Tamsyn Mileham from Dentons in Istanbul.

Our competition law team led by Partner Bora Ikiler, along with Counsel Barış Yüksel and Associates Mehmet Salan and Elif Naz Semercioğlu assisted BLS International in obtaining antitrust clearance for this cross-border acquisition.

About Balcıoğlu Selçuk Eymirlioğlu Ardıyok Keki Attorney Partnership

Balcıoğlu Selçuk Eymirlioğlu Ardıyok Keki Attorney Partnership is an Istanbul-based full-service law firm led by almost 100 experienced professionals since 2007, each well equipped to provide creative and diligent transaction counselling and cutting-edge legal services. We advise national and multinational clients, including Fortune 500 companies on corporate and M&A, banking and finance, capital markets, competition and antitrust, public policy and regulation, employment and labor, project finance, real estate and construction, infrastructure and PPPs, franchising and distribution, trade, WTO and customs, intellectual property, data and technology, data protection, privacy and cybersecurity, arbitration, litigation and dispute resolution, and tax matters.