India · Before you pay
How to check a visa agent in India before you pay
We found no official Indian register or licence for agents who help with tourist or visit visas: the registration that exists, on the MEA's eMigrate portal, covers recruiting agents for jobs abroad. So check an agent another way: what the mission of the country you're going to says about agents, where the visa fee is really paid, and the warning signs the missions publish.
We found no official register of visa agents in India. On 1 Nov 2026 we checked the MEA and its eMigrate portal, the Ministry of Tourism and its NIDHI directory, and PIB releases. None licenses agents for tourist or visit visas, and none says that no such register exists.
What exists, and what it covers
| Register | Run by | What it covers | For visa agents? |
|---|---|---|---|
| eMigrate: registered recruiting agents | Ministry of External Affairs (Protector General of Emigrants) | Agents who recruit for jobs abroad: under section 10 of the Emigration Act 1983 no one may act as a recruiting agent without a certificate. MEA overview · MEA · read 1 Nov 2026 | No: jobs abroad only |
| eMigrate: list of illegal agents | Ministry of External Affairs | Unregistered recruiting agents: 3,505 notified as of 9 April 2026. MEA overview · read 1 Nov 2026 | No: jobs abroad only |
| Ministry of Tourism approval and NIDHI | Ministry of Tourism | A voluntary scheme that approves travel agents and tour operators; the NIDHI directory showed 13,717 registered tourism service providers on 1 Nov 2026. PIB (Ministry of Tourism) · NIDHI · NIDHI directory · read 1 Nov 2026 | Voluntary; not a licence for visa work |
| Authorised visa agent lists | Singapore's High Commission in New Delhi and Consulate-General in Chennai | Agents who may submit Singapore visa applications. Singapore visa agents in India ICA · read 1 Nov 2026 | Singapore visas only |
What the missions say about agents
Each country decides how its visas are applied for in India, and several of their missions say plainly what agents may and may not do. Read what the mission of your destination says before you pay anyone.
| Destination | What its mission says | Paying the fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | “Many temporary visitors turn to visa consultants before scheduling their interviews. While some consultants provide helpful information, many do not.” “You alone are responsible for the accuracy of the information in your application.” | The visa fee is paid before you apply, through the embassy's official service, and is owed whether or not a visa is issued. Appointments are booked only online. US visa agents | US Mission India: visa consultants · US Mission India: important visa information · read 1 Nov 2026 |
| United Kingdom | The British High Commission's “Visa Fraud Se Bache” campaign: “People will be advised to look out for common bogus claims such as the promise of being guaranteed a visa and UK employment, being told there is no requirement for English-language tests such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and being asked to pay exorbitant fees.” | UKVI: “we will never ask for payment by email, at a visa application centre or into a personal bank account.” UK visa agents | British High Commission · UKVI · read 1 Nov 2026 |
| Germany | The Consulate General in Mumbai: “ALL visa appointments are handled ONLY by VFS and at NO COST!” “No local agents or student counselors have the authority or are in a position to influence or schedule visa interviews/ appointments.” | Booking the appointment costs nothing, and only VFS does it. In India, biometrics are taken only by consulates and their service providers, never by travel agencies. Schengen visa agents | German Missions in India · EU Delegation to India · read 1 Nov 2026 |
| Netherlands | “Avoid unnecessary costs and book your appointment yourself. Do not make an appointment through an intermediary.” | “the embassy never requests anyone to deposit application or visa fee in any bank accounts.” “You will always need to pay service costs to VFS Global.” | NetherlandsWorldwide · read 1 Nov 2026 |
| Japan | The Embassy: “Beware of Fraud! All you have to pay for visa is the visa fee and the service charge mentioned on this page. Embassy will never ask for a payment over a telephone call or an e-mail to verify documents, expedite visa process, etc.” | INR 500 for Indian nationals from 1 July 2026, plus the VFS service fee. Japan visa agents | Embassy of Japan · read 1 Nov 2026 |
| China | “If the application is submitted through a third party or travel agency, the qualification documents of the agency and the identity document of the agent shall be provided.” “The telephone number and email address provided in the visa application form must belong to the applicant.” | Fees by demand draft only; cash and cheques are not accepted for now. Since 26 October 2026 the Embassy and the Consulate General in Mumbai take applications directly. China visa agents | Chinese Embassy: visa application notice · Chinese Embassy: fee notice · Chinese Embassy: notice of 22 Oct 2026 · read 1 Nov 2026 |
| Singapore | ICA: “Your visa application can be submitted at the nearest Singapore Overseas Mission or through its authorised visa agent.” New Delhi and Chennai publish lists of their authorised agents; Mumbai publishes none. | INR 2,100 plus an INR 1,300 agent fee in New Delhi and Mumbai; Chennai's page differs. Singapore visa agents | ICA · High Commission, New Delhi · read 1 Nov 2026 |
The EU Visa Code lets consulates work with accredited travel agencies and asks them to publish whom they accredit “where relevant”; we found no Schengen consulate in India that publishes such a list (EU Visa Code, archived copy of 30 Oct 2025).
Red flags, from official warnings
- A guaranteed visa or a job abroad that comes with it, a promise that you don't need an English test such as IELTS, or exorbitant fees: the UK's “Visa Fraud Se Bache” campaign calls these bogus claims. British High Commission · read 1 Nov 2026
- An agent who tells you to travel on a tourist visa and have it “converted” into a work visa later: the MEA tells you to complain to the Protector General of Emigrants. MEA · read 1 Nov 2026
- Someone selling visa appointments: the German Consulate General in Mumbai says appointments are handled only by VFS and cost nothing. German Missions in India · read 1 Nov 2026
- A request for money by phone or email to verify documents or speed up a visa: the Embassy of Japan never asks for that. Embassy of Japan · read 1 Nov 2026
- Fake financial papers, or coaching to lie at the interview: the US Mission says applicants have been found permanently ineligible for visas as a result. US Mission India · read 1 Nov 2026
- An agent who files papers you haven't seen: “Fraudulent agents are known to submit falsified documents sometimes without an applicant’s knowledge.” British High Commission · read 1 Nov 2026
- Payment into a personal bank account: UKVI and the Dutch Embassy never ask for that. UKVI · NetherlandsWorldwide · read 1 Nov 2026
- Social media ads for high-paying jobs abroad from unregistered agents. PIB (Protectorate of Emigrants) · read 1 Nov 2026
Going abroad for a job? Recruiting agents must be registered
- A certificate is the law. Under section 10 of the Emigration Act 1983, no person or agency may act as a recruiting agent without a valid certificate from the registering authority. MEA overview · read 1 Nov 2026
- Recruiting without an MEA licence is an offence, and so is advertising jobs abroad in print or online without one. PIB (Protectorate of Emigrants) · read 1 Nov 2026
- Emigration clearance: holders of ECR passports need it to go abroad for work in 19 countries, the UAE among them. MEA overview · read 1 Nov 2026
- Check the agent on eMigrate. “Whether a Recruiting Agent is registered or not can be checked on the E-migrate portal”; MEA also lists illegal agents there (3,505 by 9 April 2026). MEA · MEA overview · read 1 Nov 2026
- Fee cap: a registered recruiting agent may charge at most Rs 20,000 per emigrant under PGE guidelines; ask for the agent's licence number and note it down. MEA · read 1 Nov 2026
How to report visa fraud
- US visas: email the fraud unit of the embassy or consulate: New Delhi NDCONSINQ@state.gov, Mumbai Mumbaif@state.gov, Chennai ChennaiAF@state.gov, Hyderabad HYDFPU@state.gov, Kolkata KolkataFPU@state.gov; or support-india@usvisascheduling.com. US Mission India: report fraud or criminal activity · US Mission India: apply for a nonimmigrant visa · read 1 Nov 2026
- UK visas: check what you're told with the British High Commission's WhatsApp chatbot, +91 70652 51380 (English, Tamil, Punjabi and Hindi). Visa fraud can bring a 10-year ban on travel to the UK. British High Commission · read 1 Nov 2026
- Recruiting agents: report registered or unregistered agents on the toll-free number 1800 11 3090 or on eMigrate; complaints also go to the Protector General of Emigrants, an Indian embassy or consulate, or the MADAD portal. PIB (Protectorate of Emigrants) · MEA · read 1 Nov 2026
- Travel agents: the Ministry of Tourism takes complaints about tourism service providers through the CPGRAMS grievance portal. PIB (Ministry of Tourism) · read 1 Nov 2026
How our India list checks agencies
We list 127 agencies in India, each checked against its own website. As we found no register to look visa agents up in, their count is out of five checks: the website names the business, address and phone on its own site, prices with a date, and a check in the last 90 days. For Singapore visas we add one more fact: whether the agency is on a mission's published list of authorised agents. 11 of ours are; see which.
FAQ
Is there a government list of approved visa agents in India?
We found none for tourist or visit visas. The MEA's eMigrate portal registers recruiting agents for jobs abroad, the Ministry of Tourism approves travel agents only on a voluntary basis, and Singapore's missions publish lists of their own authorised visa agents.
What counts as visa fraud?
Lying or handing in false documents to get a visa. The US Mission says “Intentionally submitting false information either on the application itself or during the visa interview can lead to a finding of a permanent ineligibility.” The UK says someone found committing visa fraud can be banned from travelling to the UK for 10 years.
How can I report visa fraud in India?
US visas: email the fraud unit of the embassy or consulate, for example NDCONSINQ@state.gov in New Delhi. UK visas: check information with the British High Commission's WhatsApp chatbot, +91 70652 51380. Recruiting agents for jobs abroad: 1800 11 3090 or the eMigrate portal.
Do I need an agent to apply for a visa?
It depends on the country. The US Mission says the information on its and the State Department's websites “is free of charge and is the only accurate source on which you should rely”; the Netherlands asks you to book your own appointment; Japan takes applications through VFS; Singapore takes them through its authorised visa agents.
Are visa agents legal in India?
We found no Indian law or register that licenses agents for tourist or visit visas, so there is no register to check them against. Recruiting agents who place people in jobs abroad must be registered under the Emigration Act 1983.
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Sources. Pages of the MEA, PIB, the Ministry of Tourism, and the US, UK, German, Dutch, Japanese, Chinese and Singaporean missions and governments, linked next to each fact and read on 1 Nov 2026; the EU Visa Code from an archived copy. We don't sell visas and we aren't a government website. Report a change.