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by Patricia B. Mirasol<\/strong>, Producer<\/p>\n Filipinos are urged to submit their visa applications promptly to prevent holdups, while also being warned against visa frauds, which encompass the distribution of counterfeit appointment letters or claims to sway visa resolutions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n According to Bernard Vijaykumar, head of North Asia & Philippines at VFS Global, a firm assisting governments and diplomatic missions with visa, passport, and consular services, selling appointments ranks among the most prevalent visa fraud schemes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n He emphasized that visa appointments are complimentary. Furthermore, VFS Global is not engaged in job placement or immigration matters.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAvoid being misled by VFS Global con artists offering [such services],\u201d he stated during a media event on February 12. \u201cWe will never require applicants to transfer funds to any accounts.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Visa applications from the Philippines in 2024 increased by 3% compared to 2023, Mr. Vijaykumar noted during the event.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There was also a 38% surge in 2024 relative to 2019.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The most sought-after travel locations among Filipinos are, in alphabetical order \u2013 Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, and the U.K.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n VFS Global shared advice to steer clear of visa-related scams:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Additionally, travelers are encouraged to scrutinize their visa submissions to prevent these frequent errors:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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