Let me tell you: getting an appointment at the Barcelona Immigration Office has become a business. The National Police are investigating organized groups that, from abroad, use computer software to snap up appointments and resell them for between 30 and 100 euros, depending on the procedure. The Catalan Federation of Pakistani Organizations has drawn attention to the issue and has already filed complaints with the government.
How the scam works
How do they do it? Well, they use apps and hackers to overload the appointment system. So if you need to renew your residence permit or work permit, you can’t find any available slots in the short term. Desperation—as you can imagine—opens the door to those offering quick solutions for money. “Without an appointment, they won’t see you; it’s impossible. And paying for that service is a serious matter, but we have no other options,” says Khalid Shabaz Akhtar, president of the Pakistani federation.
Social media ads
And according to the federation, ads offering appointments are proliferating on social media. Shabaz has proposed that the government require a digital certificate with a PIN to access the system—that would curb the intermediaries, he says. The problem isn’t limited to Barcelona: at the Spanish embassy in Pakistan, they’ve gone so far as to ask for up to 3,000 euros for a family reunification appointment, a process that expires after 90 days. Just think about that.
Fake residency registrations, another front
Not only that: they’re also investigating fraudulent residency registrations. In January, the Mossos dismantled a gang that rented apartments using fake documents and registered people in the residency registry for money. Weeks later, another group in Palafrugell charged 6,000 euros to reunite migrant families. You’ve been warned.
How can you protect yourself?
So now you know: if you need to handle immigration paperwork, don’t go to unofficial agencies or pay for an appointment. Report any ads that seem suspicious to the police. And remember: the digital certificate is your best ally for scheduling appointments without intermediaries. Take action.
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