How to Avoid Fake and Overpriced Visa Websites
How copycat e-visa and arrival-form sites work, the warning signs, how to find the official government portal, and what to do if you've already paid an unofficial site.
Short answer
Many search results for e-visas and online arrival forms are commercial agencies, some designed to look like government portals and charging many times the official fee. Find the official portal through the destination's embassy or foreign-ministry website, check the domain, compare the fee with the published government fee, and never pay for forms that are free.
Key points
- Start from the embassy or foreign-ministry website, not a search ad.
- Compare the fee with the government's published fee.
- Some arrival forms are free — paying for them is a red flag.
- If you've paid a scam site, contact your card issuer quickly.
Search for almost any country's e-visa and you'll see a list of sites that look official. Some are. Many are private companies charging a premium — and a few take money without delivering anything. Here's how to tell the difference.
How copycat sites work
- They buy search ads that appear above the official portal.
- They use flags, government-style colours and words like "official" or "online visa".
- They charge a "service fee" several times the government fee — sometimes hidden until the last step.
- Some charge for forms that are free, such as online arrival cards.
Warning signs
| Sign | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Labelled "Ad" or "Sponsored" in search | The official portal rarely needs to advertise |
| Domain isn't a government domain | Official portals usually use the country's government domain |
| Fee much higher than the published government fee | Likely an agency markup |
| Small print says "we are not affiliated with any government" | It's a private agency |
| Charges for a form you know is free | Red flag |
| Pressure tactics — countdown timers, "urgent processing" | Common on commercial sites |
How to find the official portal
- Go to the destination's embassy website in your country or its foreign-ministry website and follow their link.
- Cross-check with your own government's travel advice page for that destination, which often links to the official portal.
- Look up the official fee and compare it with what the site charges.
- Bookmark the official site for next time.
If you've already paid an unofficial site
- Check whether a visa or authorisation was actually issued — official systems often let you check status.
- If not, or if the charge was misleading, contact your card issuer promptly about a dispute.
- Apply through the official portal if you still need the visa.
- Report misleading sites to your country's consumer-protection or fraud-reporting service.
The bottom line
Start from official government links, not search ads. Compare the fee, check the domain, and never pay for forms that should be free. Then read our visa types overview to understand which permission you actually need.
Questions readers ask
Are all visa agencies scams?
No. Some legitimate agencies provide real help for complex applications, and they should say clearly that they are private and charge a service fee. The problem is sites that imitate government portals or hide their fees.
Will an agency-issued e-visa be valid?
If the agency actually submits your application to the official system, the visa itself is issued by the government. But some sites submit late, make errors or never submit at all. Applying directly avoids that risk.