The Irish Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) is warning people who are applying for Irish visas online to be careful. The ISD says that people should only apply for visas through the official AVATS website.
The ISD is warning people about visa fraud because it is a common problem. Earlier this year, people posing as employees of the visa application company VFS Global were selling fake Schengen visa appointments. And in June of this year, two security guards at a VFS Global Visa Application Center in India caught seven people trying to use fake documents to apply for visas to Italy.
Ireland receives a lot of visa applications each year. In the first half of last year, Ireland received over 64,000 visa applications. Most of these applications came from India and Nigeria.
The Irish government is working to find ways to prevent visa fraud.
Here are some tips to help you avoid visa fraud:
- Only apply for visas through the official website of the country you are visiting.
- Do not give your passport or personal information to anyone you do not trust.
- Be careful about paying for visa services online.
- If you have any questions or concerns, contact the embassy or consulate of the country you are visiting.
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