The meteoric surge in outbound travel from India has opened a gateway for not just globe-trotting Indians but also for a shadowy underbelly of scam artists. As more Indians give in to their wanderlust in what’s termed as ‘revenge travel’, many find themselves at the mercy of fraudsters preying on the increased demand for visa appointments.

Here’s a quick guide from VFS Global to mitigate frauds and stay clear of such scams.

Q1. Do you need to pay for booking visa appointments?

VFS Global does not charge any payment for scheduling visa appointments for countries it serves. Appointments are free of cost and can be booked only on www.vfsglobal.com. You may have to prepay an approved service fee for select countries.

Q2. What is your role in visa decision-making?

VFS Global has no role or influence on the decision of your visa application. Decisions on visa applications, the visa tenure, and timelines to process them are at the sole discretion of the respective embassies/consulates. VFS Global manages only the administrative and non-judgmental aspects of the visa application process.

Q3. Does the company work with third-party entities to offer visa services?

VFS Global does not work in association with any third-party entities. Beware of scammers and fraudulent entities who claim to be associated with VFS Global in any capacity or pose as VFS Global to dupe unsuspecting visa applicants.

Q4. Where can I go to book visa appointments?

www.vfsglobal.com is the only official website to book visa appointment for the countries we serve. Appointments are free of cost. You may have to prepay an approved VFS Global service fee for select countries.

Q5.  Does the company seek personal information via social media, emails, SMS, or calls?

VFS Global never asks visa applicants to share personal information via social media, emails, SMS, or calls. Beware of scammers and fraudulent entities who pose as VFS Global employees to dupe unsuspecting visa applicants. Please do not share your personal information with anyone unless you are certain the person or organisation requesting it is legitimate.

Q6. Does VFS Global demand upfront payments via email, call, or SMS?

VFS Global never asks visa aspirants to make any upfront payments via mail, phone, or SMS to proceed with their applications. If you have been asked to make payments to personal accounts to expedite your visa application process, you may be interacting with a scamster. VFS Global encourages applicants to be wary of any such fraudulent messages or calls from unknown entities or third parties claiming their visa application is stalled. Payments should only be made through our official website (www.vfsglobal.com) or at our Visa Application Centre.

Q7. Does VFS Global provide immigration and job services?

VFS Global does not provide immigration and job services. Applicants are advised to beware of scammers looking to trick job seekers or immigration aspirants with fake job or immigration opportunities respectively in lieu of payments.