Indian missions in the United Arab Emirates have issued a warning to nationals about fraudulent visa and migration service providers operating outside India, following a noticeable increase in complaints. The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai and Northern Emirates advised caution against relying on third-party agencies, particularly those advertising on social media platforms.
In an advisory released on Monday, the missions reported receiving grievances from Indian expatriates regarding agencies that promote employment and residency visas for third countries, but ultimately fail to deliver the promised services after collecting fees. Applicants are urged not to trust social media advertisements or make payments to such agencies without thorough verification.
The advisory underscores that visa approvals are exclusively determined by the issuing governments, and no agent or agency can guarantee a successful application. Indian nationals seeking visas are encouraged to verify requirements and application procedures directly through the official websites or by contacting embassies and consulates of the countries concerned.
This alert follows the recent arrest of a Dubai-based Indian businessman linked to an immigration services company in Kerala, where police have described the case as a multimillion-dollar visa and job scam. Although the missions did not reference this specific incident or name any companies in their statement, the timing suggests growing concern over fraudulent practices.
The advisory is not the first of its kind issued by Indian diplomatic missions in the UAE. In August, the Consulate in Dubai warned especially lower-income Indian workers about scams involving false promises of visa regularization, emergency certificates, exit permits, Emirates IDs, and employment opportunities. Scammers have reportedly requested sensitive personal documents such as passports, Emirates IDs, and biometric data including facial, eye, and fingerprint scans. Authorities cautioned that this information could be exploited for fraudulent financial transactions or the unauthorized opening of bank accounts, loans, and credit cards.
Indian missions continue to stress the importance of vigilance and recommend that applicants rely only on official channels and government sources for visa-related information to avoid falling victim to these fraudulent operations.