The European Union (EU) has issued an urgent warning to Pakistani nationals about a growing scam targeting those seeking visas and consular appointments. Criminal groups have been spreading false information through fraudulent listings of EU embassies on Google Maps, the EU Delegation to Pakistan revealed.
These fake listings include incorrect contact details, such as phone numbers, misleading people into believing they are legitimate embassy contacts. The EU described this as a large-scale scam aimed at deceiving Pakistani citizens.
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On its official account on X (formerly Twitter), the EU delegation urged the public to rely solely on verified information available on the official websites of EU member states’ embassies.
The EU Delegation emphasized that only the official embassy websites provide accurate and legitimate information about visa applications and consular services. It warned against trusting information from Google Maps or other directories and clarified that it does not manage passport or visa issuance. These matters are handled by individual EU embassies and consulates.
Pakistani citizens planning to travel to EU member states must contact the relevant embassy or consulate for proper guidance on obtaining a Schengen visa, which permits travel within the Schengen Area, or a National visa for travel to non-Schengen countries.
The Schengen Area allows border-free travel across most EU countries for over 400 million EU citizens and non-EU nationals with valid visas.
However, some EU countries, such as Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Romania, are not yet part of the Schengen zone, while non-EU nations like Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland are included. Liechtenstein is also set to join the Schengen Area soon.
