Filipinos warned: Beware of visa scams as peak travel season nears

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — VFS Global Head of North Asia and the Philippines Bernard Vijaykumar warned the public to be wary of visa scams.

In a press conference in Taguig City on Wednesday, he said visa applications in the Philippines are at “volumes higher than ever before.” 

READ: How to avoid AI travel scams

It represents an increase of 38% in 2024 compared to 2019, exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

This trend stems from an outbound travel surge, increasing the likelihood of processing delays. 

“This increased demand has become an idle play to scammers and fraudsters who trick visa applicants for money by making false promises,” Vijaykumar said.

“We strongly encourage all travelers to apply for their visas well in advance of their intended travel dates,” he noted.  

“Waiting until the last moment not only increases the risk of delays but also exposes applicants to fraudulent entities seeking to exploit their urgency.” 

The Philippine News Agency says VFS Global handles visa-related administrative tasks for 28 foreign missions in the Philippines.

It does not work with any third-party entities for appointment bookings.

Moreover, the executive says it does not affect the result of visa applications. 

The US Embassy in the Philippines also issued a warning on visa scams. 

It reminds the public that it uses email addresses that end in “@state.gov” or the “support-philippines@usvisascheduling.com” address.

The US Embassy does not communicate with applicants directly regarding specific cases via other digital methods.

Moreover, the embassy never requests visa payments via email, phone, social media or messaging applications. 

All visa fee payments should start via travel.state.gov or ustraveldocs.com portals.

You should only pay medical exam fees for immigrant visas at St. Luke’s Medical Center-Extension Clinic (SLEC).

The US Embassy encourages the public to follow information from ph.usembassy.gov/visas to avoid visa scams.