EU warns Pakistanis about visa, consular appointment scams

The European Union (EU) office has issued a “scam alert” to warn Pakistani citizens about criminal organizations spreading false information regarding visa and consular appointments.

The warning comes after fake embassy listings with incorrect details, including telephone numbers, were spotted on Google Maps.

The EU Delegation to Pakistan highlighted the presence of misleading information about visa services, potentially tricking people into using fraudulent services.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the EU Delegation to Pakistan clarified that its diplomatic missions in Islamabad had identified these fake listings for embassies of EU member states.

The EU office cautioned the public, urging citizens to only rely on verified contact details and information available on the official websites of each EU member state’s embassy.

The Delegation emphasized that the EU’s diplomatic missions do not issue passports or visas. Instead, these are issued by the respective embassies or consulates of individual member states. It is essential for citizens to visit the official websites for all visa-related matters, as the EU does not provide consular services directly.

In its statement, the EU also reminded that Pakistani citizens need a Schengen visa to travel to the Schengen Area countries, which includes most EU states, except for Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, and Romania.

Although Bulgaria and Romania are in the process of joining the Schengen Area, the area currently includes several non-EU countries like Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland, with Liechtenstein expected to join soon.

A Schengen visa allows travelers to enter one country in the area and travel freely within the Schengen Zone, streamlining movement across multiple European countries.

The EU Delegation to Pakistan concluded that only authentic embassy websites should be trusted for visa and consular information.