With the summer travel season in full swing, UAE residents are being warned about fraudulent travel agents charging thousands of dirhams per person for Schengen visa appointments and disappearing without delivering.
Faisal M., a resident of Dubai Marina, had planned a summer getaway to the Netherlands, Spain, and Austria with his wife. He ended up paying Dh4,000 per visa to a travel agent who claimed to have guaranteed appointments in early May.
“I received a call from a travel agent asking if I was looking for a Schengen visa. When I showed interest, he explained the charges, which I agreed to,” said Faisal. “But on the day of the appointment, he asked me to meet him near Wafi Mall.”
Faisal said he waited nearly five hours, but the agent never showed up. “When I called him, he kept delaying and eventually stopped answering my calls,” he added. Over the next few days, the agent kept insisting that the application was under process.
Faisal eventually tracked down the agent and convinced him to meet near the Mall of the Emirates. “I convinced him to meet me before the rescheduled appointment on May 7. I drove him straight to Barsha Police Station and told him to return my money or I would file a complaint,” he said. “After two hours of argument, he returned Dh5,000. I have his Emirates ID photo and his residence address as a precaution.”
Nirmal Rathod, a businessman and distributor of dairy products, escaped a similar scam. He was about to pay Dh3,500 to a travel agent but decided to verify through his trusted agent first.
“I was planning to attend a food and agriculture exhibition in the Netherlands next month. My regular travel agent said he would try, but after a week, he confirmed it wasn’t possible,” said Rathod.
A few days later, Rathod received a call from someone offering an appointment slot for an extra fee.
“He convinced me, but I still checked with my agent. That’s when I was told about the scams happening in the market. I chose not to proceed and skipped the exhibition this year,” he added.
Apply through verified sources
Travel agents are urging residents to apply for the visa through verified sources. “Schengen countries are some of the most in-demand destinations,” said Subair Thekepurathvalappil, senior manager at Wisefox Tourism.
“Due to high demand, appointment availability is extremely limited. And it’s not just tourists, many business professionals are also willing to pay a premium for visa slots.”
“Always ensure the travel agency has a landline, is registered in Dubai, and has a functional website. Avoid transferring money online to individuals or unverifiable agents. If you must pay, visit the agency in person,” said Subair.
Visa facilitation company VFS Global confirmed that the summer season has seen unprecedented demand for international travel, creating a gap between demand and appointment availability.
“We consistently urge travellers to plan ahead to avoid last-minute issues,” Monaz Billimoria, Regional Head – UAE, VFS Global told Khaleej Times in a statement. “Appointments and visa processing timelines are determined solely by the respective embassy or consulate.”
They highlighted that the appointment slots are available free-of-charge on their official website and warned applicants not to pay third-party agents offering guaranteed slots or appointments.
“We urge applicants to beware of fraudulent third-party entities who offer appointment slots or guaranteed visas in exchange for a fee,” the statement added. “We regularly run public service messages across all customer touchpoints to alert applicants against misrepresentation.”
Things to remember
- Always ensure the travel agency has a landline
- Ensure the agency is registered in Dubai
- Check if the agency has a functional website
- Avoid transferring money online to individuals or unverifiable agents
- If you must pay, visit the agency in person
