VFS Global has reinforced its commitment to transparency, applicant protection and secure visa application services in Ghana, amid rising travel demand and increasing cases of fraudulent intermediaries targeting unsuspecting applicants.
The company is urging applicants to rely strictly on official channels, avoid agents promising early appointments or guaranteed visa approvals and plan applications well ahead of peak travel periods, particularly for students, families, corporate travellers, sports teams and organised groups.
Speaking in an interview at a press briefing in Accra, the Regional Head for Central & West Africa at VFS Global, Prashant Kansara, said trust and transparency remain central to the company’s operations.
“Trust is central to the visa application experience. At VFS Global, our role is to provide applicants with a secure, transparent, and well-managed administrative process on behalf of our client governments,” he said.
He cautioned applicants against engaging third parties who claim to influence appointments or visa outcomes, stressing that no agent or intermediary has the ability to guarantee faster processing, earlier appointments or visa approval.
“We strongly encourage residents in Ghana to use only official VFS Global channels, avoid intermediaries who make false promises, and plan their applications well in advance,” he added.
According to the company, visa application volumes across several markets have been increasing, driven largely by student mobility cycles and group travel demands.
VFS Global noted that fraudsters often exploit the surge in demand by impersonating official channels, using fake websites, social media accounts and unverified contact numbers to mislead applicants.
To counter this, the company has intensified applicant awareness campaigns and urged the public to verify all information through its official website, [www.vfsglobal.com] (http://www.vfsglobal.com). Applicants are also encouraged to report suspicious activity through official channels.
Safeguards in Ghana
As part of its anti-fraud framework in Ghana, VFS Global has introduced several verification and security measures, including OTP-based appointment booking, appointment validation systems, controlled access to visa application centres, and enhanced anti-fraud messaging across applicant touchpoints.
The company also emphasised the importance of applicants arriving on time, submitting complete documentation, and consulting official checklists to avoid delays.
Beyond fraud prevention, VFS Global says it is witnessing a notable rise in demand for structured group visa submission services, particularly among student groups, education consultants, corporate delegations, sports teams and families.
The group booking service, it explained, is designed to streamline coordination for multiple applicants travelling within the same period, especially during peak seasons such as academic intake periods and major international events.
However, the company stressed that such services do not influence visa decisions, processing timelines, or appointment availability, which remain solely under the authority of client governments.
Data protection
Mr. Kansara assured that data protection systems are robust, supported by certifications and periodic audits by external auditors and diplomatic missions.
“Any data captured by VFS follows a stringent process in terms of systems… We have relevant certifications in place which confirms that there are no data fraud incidents happening,” he said.
He added that the company operates strictly within embassy contracts and maintains transparency in all service delivery processes.
Operations and global footprint
VFS Global has operated in Ghana since 2005 and currently serves 19 client governments through 23 application centres staffed by about 100 Ghanaian nationals.
Globally, the company operates more than 4,100 application centres across 168 countries and has processed over 552 million transactions since 2001.
It works with 71 client governments worldwide, handling non-judgmental administrative tasks related to visa, passport and consular applications.
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