Atlys, an online visa application platform, has raised $12 million in funding from Sequoia Capital and Accel Partners in its first funding round of 2023, as per Entrackr. The start-up plans to use the fresh investments to expand its coverage in India and other countries, as well as to build out its team.

Founded by former Pinterest engineer Mohak Nahta, Atlys aims to simplify the visa application process for users by using phone cameras to scan documents and providing step-by-step guidance throughout the entire process. The company's mobile app also helps users track appointments, take passport photos at home, and securely store travel documents and information for future use.

According to the company's website, Atlys has facilitated over 120,000 visa applications across more than 150 destinations, with an average application time of just over four to ten minutes.

Atlys' main competitor is Gurugram-based Visa2Fly, which raised $414,000 in a pre-seed round last year and has partnered with several travel firms, including SpiceJet and Ixigo, to further boost distribution and reach.

This funding round brings Atlys' total funding to over $16 million, after it raised $4.25 million in a seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz in October 2021. The seed round also saw the participation of Pinterest co-founders Ben Silbermann and Evan Sharp.