Scam Protection
Visa scams take money, passports, and personal documents from applicants. Fake information can also damage a real visa application. Know the red flags, verify before you pay, and report what you see.
Paste any suspicious message. Get a verdict in seconds.
Drop in the WhatsApp pitch, TikTok DM, email, or agent promise. Do not include passport numbers, bank account numbers, passwords, or full financial details.
Powered by AI · Do not include your real passport number or financial details.
What to watch for
These are the tricks people are using right now. Search the exact promise, payment request, or agent behaviour before you send money.
Verified application portals
Start from the destination government's official page. Some governments use named visa centres, so follow their link and verify every service charge before paying.
The ONLY official portal for booking US visa appointments and paying MRV fees. Operated by USCIS/State Department.
Any website other than ais.usvisa-info.com or travel.state.gov charging for US visa booking is fraudulent.
Official US government visa information. DS-160 form is completed free at ceac.state.gov.
DS-160 form completion is free. Anyone charging for form completion is scamming you.
All Canada visa applications are submitted at canada.ca. This is the ONLY legitimate portal.
Canada immigration has one official website only: canada.ca. Any other site charging for Canadian visa applications is fraudulent.
Official biometrics collection partner for Canada in East Africa. Select your country from the menu.
VFS Canada only collects biometrics and documents — visa decisions are always made by IRCC Canada.
All UK visa applications start at gov.uk. Pay IHS surcharge at immigration-health-surcharge.service.gov.uk.
UK visa applications are only submitted at gov.uk. Any other site is not official.
Official biometrics and document collection partner for UK visas in East Africa. Select your country.
VFS UK does not make visa decisions. All decisions are made by UKVI in the UK.
Official French government portal for all French visa applications, including Schengen C and national D visas.
france-visas.gouv.fr is the ONLY official French visa portal. Any other site charging for French visa applications is fraudulent.
German Foreign Ministry official visa information. Appointments booked at the German Embassy appointment portal.
Germany visa applications are submitted directly at the German Embassy — not through third-party websites.
Official Dutch government visa information.
MVV applications for the Netherlands are submitted through the official Dutch Embassy or VFS partner. There is no fee to download application forms.
Report visa fraud, fake agents, and document fraud targeting US visa applicants in East Africa.
All fraud reports to embassies are taken seriously and investigated.
Visa scam questions
- Can any agent guarantee a visa?
- No. Visa decisions are made by embassies or immigration authorities, not agents.
- Should I give my original passport to an agent?
- Keep control of your passport unless the current official process requires submission through an embassy, consulate, or named visa centre.
- Is a WhatsApp-only visa agent safe?
- Treat it as high risk unless you can independently verify the business, office, receipt, adviser status, and payment account.
Seen a scam? Report it.
Anonymous reports help other East Africans avoid the same traps. We review all reports before publishing.