Overseas students and workers targeted in illicit UK visa trade

LONDON: UK visa appointments are being booked up by brokers and sold on for hundreds of pounds in an illicit trade targeting overseas workers and students.

An Observer investigation has found brokers in some parts of south Asia charging up to £800 for the biometric appointments, which are widely advertised on Facebook and the Telegram messaging service.

“Are you excited about your journey to the UK? Don’t let the hassle of visa appointments hold you back,” said one post advertising flexible slots in Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Others offer to help people beat backlogs in the official system, promising next-day appointments at “reasonable prices” with no upfront payment.

The underground market is thriving as agents exploit pressure on some consular services overseas, driven in part by increased visa applications from international students and healthcare workers. Anyone planning to stay in the UK for more than six months – and short-term visitors from certain countries – must attend an in-person appointment in their home country to provide fingerprints and a photograph.

But while direct booking of biometric appointments is typically free or between £30 and £85 for priority services, some people in south Asia are facing difficulties securing slots via VFS Global, the outsourcing company contracted by the Home Office to handle UK visa applications in the region.