Avoid middlemen and fake promises - VFS Global tells visa applicants

Regional Head for Central and West Africa at VFS Global, Prashant Kansara, has urged Ghanaians seeking visas to rely only on official application channels and avoid intermediaries who promise early appointments or guaranteed approvals.

According to him, visa application volumes have increased across several markets, particularly during peak travel periods involving students, families, organised groups, corporate travellers, sports teams and official delegations.

He, however, advised applicants to plan ahead and rely on verified information from official sources.

“Trust is central to the visa application experience. At VFS Global, our role is to provide applicants with a secure, transparent and well-managed administrative process on behalf of our client governments,” Kansara said.

He further cautioned applicants against dealing with unauthorised agents.

“We strongly encourage residents in Ghana to use only official VFS Global channels, avoid intermediaries who make false promises, and plan their applications well in advance,” he stated.

Kansara noted that the company remains committed to protecting applicants through strengthened anti-fraud measures and secure administrative processes.

“Our continued focus is on supporting governments and applicants through responsible processes, strong anti-fraud measures and services that help facilitate travel from Ghana in a safe and reliable manner,” he added.

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VFS Global explained that fraudsters often misuse the company's name, logo, social media presence and unofficial contact numbers to deceive visa applicants.

To safeguard the application process, the company has introduced several security measures, including OTP-based appointment booking, appointment verification systems, application reference validation and anti-fraud awareness campaigns.

The Paramount Chief of Gbese, Nii Ayi Bonte II, who participated in the summit, shared his experience with VFS Global's group booking service during the Homowo Festival and Business Summit held in the Netherlands in 2025.

Commending the company's professionalism, he said, “For many years of travelling around the world, this is the first time my visa application has been collected at a location other than the Embassy or the VFS Centre. I am really impressed.”

ANAS/MA