Booking a VFS visa appointment? What you should keep in mind to avoid fraud

The demand for outbound travel from India is high for different reasons, from wanting to travel, to study and work. But at the same time, there are also shady entities that are feeding on this demand and taking advantage of the desperation induced by the slow and strict immigration systems of various countries.

In recent times, several cases of visa fraud have been uncovered in India. In most cases, the unsuspecting applicants were conned out of their hard-earned money and they also ended up facing the consequences of trying to illegally travel to a foreign country. 

Cases of visa fraud

• Just this month, VFS Global, an outsourcing and technology services company for government and diplomatic missions, filed a complaint in Ahmedabad against four people, including two of its employees and a former employee.
• The accused had illegally registered the biometrics of 28 people trying to migrate to Canada and also issued them with fake visa appointment letters.
• In another case from the UAE, VFS Global warned that fraudsters claiming to be employees of the visa facilitation service were trying to sell fake Schengen visa appointments to unsuspecting applicants. 
• At VFS Delhi, seven people were caught trying to apply for a visa to Italy using fake appointment letters. 
• And then there was the case where nearly 700 Indian students faced deportation threats in Canada after their college acceptance letters were found to be fake. 

So, how can you stay safe from visa scams? 

Be it a tourist visa, visitor visa, student visa, or business-related visa, here are some tips to ensure you don't fall victim to fraud:

1. Use official channels

• From the start to the end of your visa application process, ensure you use only the official channels to make your application. 
• Most visa appointments can only be made either through the targetted country's immigration website, the consulate in your country, or through VFS. 
• Use their official websites to make your appointment. Keep in mind that VFS, consulates, and most other visa application centres do not often entertain walk-ins, and you have to book a prior appointment. 
• You can make a VFS appointment ONLY on their website. 

2. Dealing with immigration agents

• There are a number of immigration agents today who promise to make your foreign dreams a reality. 
• However, don't blindly fall for all the promises they make. If there are no appointment slots for an Italian visa at VFS, then your immigration agent cannot magically get you one either. If they do, then it's most likely going to be fraudulent.
• These agents may also demand a hefty sum to process your application or get you your visa appointment letter.
• Keep in mind that visa payments are only ever made to the governments and not personal accounts and there is usually no fee to get an appointment. 

3. Do not entertain fishy calls or emails

• If someone promises to get you a visa or visa appointment letter on the phone, they are likely scamsters. If they ask for money for the same, it's a red flag.
• If someone calls you regarding a visa you never applied for; again, it's a red flag. 
• You might even get a fraud call telling you that your package that you never sent anywhere is stuck at customs in a foreign country and you might be arrested if the dues are not cleared. 
• Or if you recently visited a foreign country or are in a foreign country, you can even receive a call telling you that you made a mistake on your immigration form and you might be arrested if a payment is not made. Don't entertain them.

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4. Cross-check documents: 

• If you are getting any document from a third party (and not the original entity) that needs to go on your visa application, like an appointment letter, you should cross-check the document for veracity. 

5. Check for spellings:

• Be it a website, an email address, or documents, check the spelling. If something is spelt wrong, especially in a name, then it is most likely going to be fake. 

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It helps to keep track of developments on the visa and immigration situation of your chosen country. For example, getting a Schengen visa appointment is really difficult nowadays and most visa centres don't have any new openings for months. 

You might be desperate to get that visa and frustrated with all the waiting, but it won't help to get defrauded out of your money and then also face the consequences of trying to fraudulently get a visa. Some countries often issue a ban on a person applying for their visa again, if they are found to have used fraudulent means. 

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