BI warns foreign students vs fixers offering fake visa stamps

After it came across four cases of visa tampering, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Saturday warned foreign students against fixers who provide fake visa stamps.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente cited the case of an Indian national who attempted to get his Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card at the BI’s Student Visa Section in Quezon City.

However, BI personnel at the office found that the student had no application record while his visa had expired. It also found that his passport was marked with faked visa extension stamps.

According to the student, an individual he met online supposedly processed his and his two cousins’ applications.

The BI said one of the students later filed a complaint. The fixer was arrested after an entrapment operation.

“It is unbelievable that scam cases continue to rise even during the pandemic,” Morente said.

“Only their school’s authorized representative may transact on behalf of foreign students. They should refrain from engaging the services of these so-called fixers, many of which they just met online, as these would only bring problems to them,” he added. — DVM, GMA News