BENGALURU: Visa aspirants from Bengaluru heading to join colleges in Canada are finding it tough to get appointment for biometric procedures, with agents allegedly pocketing Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000 for a slot at the local facilitation centre for the North American nation.
VFS Global, the visa facilitator, however, said it doesn’t charge customers for appointments to submit applications and all appointments are available online on a first-come-firstserved basis.
“The visa agency and the Canadian immigration office here have warned visa-seekers against fraudsters, but getting an appointment is easier said than done,” said the mother of an aspirant.
The woman’s son has been visiting the VFS Global office in the city following lifting of the lockdown, only to be told that cancellation by pre-booked persons could secure him a chance for an appointment. “Meanwhile, a few who are in a similar situation gave me contact numbers of some agents and I was told that they could get us an appointment for student biometrics with VFS. I contacted them and told them online slots are full, but they said they are confident of getting a slot for my son if I pay them Rs 45,000,” she added.
When STOI dialled two numbers the woman provided, men on the other side identified themselves as operators of visa facilitating agencies and quoted sums between Rs 35,000 and Rs 50,000 for a biometrics appointment with the Bengaluru centre of VFS without fail.
As per sources in the know, with limited slots being offered for biometric procedures towards Canadian visa now owing to the pandemic situation, many students are desperate to complete the process before the specified time to get visa. The ban on direct flights to Canada from India till September 21, 2021 also remains a big hurdle for them.
With the facilitation centre in the city reopening in mid-June after the lockdown, visa processing has been limited and getting a slot is still difficult for students. Following the rush, the agency introduced an exclusive students’ counter mainly for biometric procedures, which was open only through prior appointment via online booking.
“I have been trying to book an appointment for many days as some of my friends have got one by booking online as early as 4am. I went to the VFS office numerous times and was told that a cancellation could win me a slot for biometrics. But there are a few students who claim they got appointments through agents by paying large sums for a slot,” said Sameer (name changed), a student from Basavanagudi.
Responding to an STOI query, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canadian government’s visa and immigration authority, said Canada continues to remind its clients, including study permit applicants, to beware of fraud, and if an agent/representative claims they will expedite anyone’s appointment for a fee, it is not true.
