Residents of Astana find themselves visa-less and losing millions of tenge

A sting operation leaves Astana residents lured and deceived by a dishonest visa agent

Countless residents of Astana have been duped by a fraudulent visa agency, payments totaling millions yet no documents received. According to a report by Liter.kz, citing the KTK channel, the unscrupulous visa center required hefty payments, but failed to deliver on its promise of securing entry permits for foreign countries.

Meet Rosa and Batyrbek, two of the unfortunate victims who turned to the visa center in March. They waited persistently but never received any documentation. When they began to investigate the company's past operations, they found a long list of swindled individuals facing the same predicament.

"I was told we'd need half a million for the visa. She gave me excuses about bureaucracy and said it would cost more, eventually asking for 1.56 million tenge. I was cheated and deceived, there's no paperwork to prove anything," stated Rosa, one of the disappointed clients.

Batyrbek had similar tales to share, having paid a total of 1 million tenge following the center's requests for additional funds. "They asked for more money, a thousand pounds per person, claiming they had to demonstrate our financial stability to the consul. Despite my account balance, they insisted on handling the evidence themselves. I fell for it," Batyrbek explained.

By summer 2023, a year after the initial payments sans results, Rosa, Batyrbek, and several others joined forces with lawyers to confront the Eisylyk district police. A tentative number of 60 victims has been identified, accumulating damage of over 200 million tenge. However, Veronica Kim, one of the lawyers involved, questions the thoroughness of the ongoing investigation.

"From what I can tell, the investigation is not as comprehensive as it should be. Essential investigative procedures are being overlooked, and crucial evidence is not being obtained from the necessary authorities," Kim voiced her concerns.

Currently, the Eisylyk district police department is spearheading the investigation, with no specific suspects identified as of yet. Yerzhan Kurakpaev, Deputy Chief of the Eysil District Police Department of the Astan Police Department, is keeping tear in touch with the situation. "We have launched an investigation under Article 190 'Fraud on an especially large scale'. So far, 55 individuals have been identified as victims," he affirmed.

Despite the company's recent guarantee letters placing returns by April 30th, the victims remain skeptical due to past written promises. Users looking for genuine information on visa fraud proceedings are encouraged to reach out to the U.S. Embassy in Astana or check current advisories on the U.S. Travel State portal, as general visa fraud reporting mechanisms are emphasized in their documentation.

(Note: While no specific investigations dedicated to Astana visa scams were found, related fraud patterns and regional cases were uncovered. Users are advised to consult Kazakhstani authorities for accurate, Astana-focused updates.)

The unscrupulous visa center in Astana required hefty payments but failed to deliver on its promise of securing entry permits, duping countless residents and accumulating damage of over 200 million tenge.
Two of the victims, Rosa and Batyrbek, described how they were cheated and deceived, paying large sums of money without receiving any documentation.
Veronica Kim, one of the lawyers involved, voiced concerns about the thoroughness of the ongoing investigation, claiming that essential investigative procedures are being overlooked and crucial evidence is not being obtained.
Yerzhan Kurakpaev, Deputy Chief of the Eysil District Police Department of the Astan Police Department, launched an investigation under Article 190 'Fraud on an especially large scale', with 55 individuals identified as victims as of yet.