Foreigners living in UAE who need a Schengen visa to be able to enter the bloc have been warned of fake agencies.
The warning has been issued by a VFS Global spokesperson who said that there are many agencies pretending to be the company’s staff and partners.
According to the spokesperson, these agencies offer appointments and say to applicants that their visas are guaranteed, provided that they pay the fee.
However, this is a scam, and once the payment is made, they never hear from these agencies, Schengen.News reports.
To avoid such situations, the VFS Global spokesperson advised all foreigners in UAE not to apply through intermediaries.
At the same time, the spokesperson reminded everyone that appointments through the VFS Global website are free of charge.
The only fee that Schengen visa applicants have to pay is the processing fee.
At the same time, the spokesperson urged everyone who plans on travelling to the EU to take care of their Schengen visa application ahead of time as the interest is particularly high during the summer months.
The spokesperson also reminded once again that applications for Schengen visas can be made a maximum of six months before the intended travel date to the Schengen Area.
Due to the increased interest in visiting the Schengen Area during the summer, foreigners in UAE in need of Schengen visas are struggling to find available appointment slots.
Unlike UAE nationals who are permitted visa-free entry into the Schengen Area, the case is not the same for foreigners whose country of origin does not have a visa liberalisation with the EU.
Pakistanis, Indians, and Bangladeshis are the most common nationalities residing in the UAE who need to obtain Schengen visas to travel to the bloc.
A recent survey of 419 respondents showed that 65 per cent of them have been unable to secure a Schengen visa appointment for this summer.
According to the Schengen Statistics Portal, foreigners in UAE filed a total of 233,932 Schengen visa applications in 2023.
Of the total number of those who applied for the document, 175,605 were issued it, whereas 52,485 were refused it.
Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands are the top three Schengen member states that received the highest number of visa applications by foreigners residing in the UAE last year.
Source : https://schengen.news/uae-residents-who-need-schengen-visas-warned-of-scammers/
