EU Office Warns Pakistanis of Visa and Consular Scams by Criminal Networks
The European Union (EU) office has issued a scam alert to caution Pakistani citizens against “criminal organizations” disseminating false information about visa and consular services through fake embassy listings and contact details.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the EU Delegation to Pakistan revealed that fraudulent entries for EU Member State embassies have been observed on Google Maps, featuring misleading details about visa and consular appointments, including fake telephone numbers.
“This is a serious scam orchestrated by criminal organizations,” the EU office warned, urging citizens to rely solely on the official websites of EU Member States embassies for accurate information and contact details.
The office emphasized, “Only the websites of EU Member States embassies provide authentic information and contact data for all visa and consular issues of the respective countries, not entries in Google Maps or other directories.”
The EU Delegation to Pakistan clarified that it does not issue visas or passports. These services are managed by the embassies or consulates of individual EU Member States.
Pakistani citizens require a Schengen visa to travel within the Schengen Area or a National visa for EU countries outside the Schengen zone. The Schengen Area currently includes most EU Member States, except for Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, and Romania, although Bulgaria and Romania are in the process of joining. Non-EU countries Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland have already joined the Schengen Area, with Liechtenstein expected to join soon.
The Schengen visa allows visitors to enter one participating country and travel freely throughout the Schengen zone. For accurate visa-related information, the EU office advised Pakistanis to contact the relevant embassy or consulate of their intended European travel destination.
