VFS Global has warned Thai travellers about visa scams and urged them to get their visa applications done early to avoid delays amid increasing outbound travel from Thailand.
The world’s leading visa outsourcing and technology services provider held an event in Bangkok on Wednesday to raise awareness among Thai travellers.
Diplomats from Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Norway and Switzerland attended the event to highlight the rising risk of visa fraud.
As visa applications for various destinations reach record levels, scammers are taking advantage of the demand by posing as visa agents, selling fake appointments, and falsely claiming they can influence visa approvals.
Peak travel seasons lead to a surge in visa applications, creating long appointment waiting times. This situation allows fraudsters to deceive travellers by charging fees for fake priority bookings or guaranteeing visa approvals for a price.
Many applicants fall victim to these scams, believing they can bypass the official process, the event was told.
Kaushik Ghosh, head of the Australasia region at VFS Global, stressed the importance of vigilance.
“We strongly encourage all travellers to apply well in advance. Delaying applications increases the risk of being scammed by fraudulent entities who take advantage of last-minute urgency,” he said.
“VFS Global does not work with any third-party agents, and applicants should conduct thorough checks before making any payments.”
Embassy officials reinforced this message, warning that scammers frequently operate during peak seasons.
Christina Lehner-Telic, Consul General at the Austrian embassy in Bangkok, reminded travellers to “not trust individuals charging for appointments or promising guaranteed visas”.
VFS Global helps people apply for visas by handling administrative tasks for 27 governments in Thailand.
This includes collecting application forms, checking documents, and taking biometric information.
However, VFS Global does not decide whether a visa is approved or denied — that’s up to embassies and consulates.
Travellers are advised to apply only through the VFS Global website, www.vfsglobal.com, to avoid falling for scams from fraudsters who charge extra fees or make false promises.
VFS Global also warns about common mistakes like mismatched details, wrong photo formats, missing documents, and unverified bank statements, which can cause visa rejections.
Click below to watch the full interview and the “Thailand’s new visas” episode of the Bangkok Post vodcast Deeper Dive, or search for “Deeper Dive Thailand” wherever you get your podcasts.
