If an agency on Instagram or Facebook is offering you a job and a work visa in Canada, Europe or anywhere else, and wants a fee first, stop. On Monday 12 October 2026 the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai warned Indian nationals in the UAE about visa and migration agencies that advertise third-country jobs and residency on social media, collect fees and then deliver neither the visa nor a refund. Their message was blunt: “Never pay any amount based on promises of visa approval.”
The missions said they had received complaints from Indians, including about agencies operating inside the UAE. No agency can guarantee a visa, because only the government of the destination country decides.
7 red flags in a visa or overseas job offer
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| “Guaranteed visa” or “100% approval” | No agency can promise this. Only the destination government decides |
| Fee before any official application | The missions’ complaints were about fees taken and nothing delivered |
| Found only through social media ads | The Consulate warned against relying solely on social media advertising |
| Agency based outside India with no checkable licence | The advisory singled out agencies operating outside India, including in the UAE |
| Asks for your passport, Emirates ID or biometrics | In August the Consulate warned this data can be used to open bank accounts, loans or credit cards in your name |
| Offers to “fix” visas, exit permits or Emirates IDs | Also covered by the Consulate’s August warning. These are government services you apply for yourself |
| No refund terms in writing | Victims reported paying and getting neither the service nor their money back |
How to check an offer before you pay
- Go to the source. Look up the visa rules on the destination country’s official government or embassy website. If the “job visa” you are being sold does not exist there, walk away.
- Apply through official channels. The embassy or consulate of the destination country in the UAE lists its authorised visa application centres.
- Check the agency. Ask for its trade licence and registration, and search the company name with the word “scam” or “complaint”.
- Never hand over originals. Do not give your passport, Emirates ID or biometric scans to an agent.
- Pay nothing on a promise. Official visa fees are paid to the government or its authorised centre, with a receipt.
- Report it. If you have already paid, contact the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General in Dubai, and report the fraud to UAE police.
The same tactics are used in other scams aimed at UAE residents. Our UAE scams guide covers job, banking and courier scams. If you are moving between jobs inside the UAE, our work visa and sponsorship explainer shows what a genuine employer does for you, at no cost to you.
Quick answers
What did the Indian Embassy in the UAE warn about?
On 12 October 2026 the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai warned about visa and migration agencies advertising third-country jobs and residency visas on social media, taking fees and then failing to deliver services or refunds.
Can an agency guarantee a visa?
No. The final visa decision is made only by the government of the destination country, so any agency promising guaranteed approval is a red flag.
What should I do if I already paid a visa agency?
Keep your receipts and messages, contact the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General in Dubai, and report the fraud to UAE police.
Published 13 October 2026. Sources: Khaleej Times and Gulf News (12 October 2026), reporting the advisory posted by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai; Gulf News on the Consulate’s August warning about agents seeking biometric data.
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