Beware of student visa fixers
THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) warned foreigners against fixers offering assistance on student visa processing.
The BI said this after receiving reports of four cases of visa tampering in June.
One case involved an Indian national who initially went to the BI’s Student Visa Section (SVS) in Quezon City to claim his Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card (ACR i-Card).
BI SVS Chief Anthony Cabrera reported that after assessment, officers found that the student has no application on record, discovered that his visa has been long expired, and that his passport has been marked with counterfeit visa extension stamps.
Said student explained that a certain “Rudyard,” whom he met online, allegedly processed his and his two cousins’ application, duping them on the pretext of providing legitimately acquired visas.
A complaint was later filed by one of the students against the fixer, which led to his arrest after an entrapment operation.
Another case involved another Indian student, who allegedly asked a friend to process his student visa extension. Upon return of his passport, it was found to have been marked with a fake stamp.
The BI said that only the school’s authorized representative may transact in behalf of foreign students.
The BI warned foreign students to refrain from engaging the services of these so-called fixers, many of whom they just met online, as these would only bring problems to them.
