British Visas: Agents conning students after new policy

Agents filling up counterfeit visa applications and charging large sums of money for the service.

ISLAMABAD:

Following the British government’s more stringent student visa policy, unscrupulous visa agents in Pakistan are reportedly taking undue advantage of prospective students.

A press statement issued on Wednesday by the press attaché of the British High Commission, George Sherriff, said the agents are just filling up counterfeit visa applications and charging large sums of money for the service.

These agents, the statement said, are offering incorrect advice to applicants resulting in the submission of incomplete or wrongly-completed applications. “This causes delays to visa applications and, in most cases, applications are rejected,” Sherriff said.

He said that in some cases, false documents are submitted by these agents which could result in a 10-year travel ban on the applicant.

“Our advice remains that applicants do not need an agent to make a UK visa application. If applicants want to take additional help, they should choose an agent carefully,” he said, adding that applicants must report “cheating agents” to the police.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 14^th, 2011.