New Delhi: VFS Global, a global leader in visa services, has come under scrutiny for alleged fraudulent activities and scams, not limited to its home country, the UK. The issues seem to extend to other regions, including Canada, the Gulf, and India, where the company has its footprints.
As per media reports, brokers are swiftly reserving UK visa appointments and subsequently selling them at exorbitant prices in an illicit trade aimed at overseas workers and students.
In the course of an Observer investigation, it was discovered that brokers in certain South Asian regions are charging fees as high as £800 for biometric appointments. These appointments are extensively promoted on social media platforms.
“Looking forward to your journey to the UK? Don’t allow the inconvenience of visa appointments to hinder your plans,” stated a post promoting flexible slots in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Additional offers include assistance in overcoming backlogs in the official system, pledging next-day appointments at “reasonable prices” without any upfront payment.
An underground market is flourishing as agents take advantage of heightened pressure on certain consular services abroad, attributed in part to the surge in visa applications from international students and healthcare workers, according to the media report.
Individuals intending to stay in the UK for over six months, as well as short-term visitors from specific countries, are required to attend an in-person appointment in their home country to provide fingerprints and a photograph.
While direct booking of biometric appointments is generally free or ranges between £30 and £85 for priority services, individuals in South Asia are encountering challenges in securing slots through VFS Global. VFS Global is the outsourcing company appointed by the Home Office to manage UK visa applications in the region. Local agents employ diverse methods, with some utilizing automated bots to identify and secure newly released slots for their clients, while others manually monitor VFS Global’s booking portal.
Agents are engaging in a practice where they request appointments they don’t actually require, subsequently canceling them and then rebooking the slots on behalf of paying clients. The Home Office, aware of this activity, has stated that it is actively working to address this “fraudulent behavior.”
Critics are, as per the reports, urging both the company and the Home Office to streamline the booking process. One suggestion is to directly assign appointments to applicants or release them at specific times each day, rather than doing so randomly.
