Do not pay anyone for visas, or work permits: Italian envoy

Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Antonio Alessandro, advised visa-seekers not to pay anyone for visas, emphasising that the embassy only charges small taxes and processing fees. 

"Our services are free except for these official fees," he said today (21 May) following a meeting with Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury, the State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment at the ministry. 

"There's no need to pay anyone to obtain a visa, work permit, or even schedule an appointment." 

They discussed ways to improve migration to Italy from Bangladesh and addressed both regular and irregular flows of migration to Italy. 

Ambassador Alessandro acknowledged delays in visa processing due to a recent revelation of fraudulent applications, including forged documents and counterfeit work permits. 

He reassured applicants facing expiring work permits, stating, "There's no need to panic. Contact VFS Global via email. Your work permit remains valid, but it will just take some time before getting a proper appointment." 

He also mentioned that the embassy is currently processing a limited number of applications due to a backlog.

State Minister Choudhury confirmed discussions on facilitating legal manpower export to Italy.

"We explored the possibility of recruiting agencies sending workers at a reasonable cost, aligned with employer demands. We want to ensure a smooth and harassment-free process," he said.

When asked about the delay in the visa process, the state minister explained, "A temporary backlog exists due to a high volume of applications. This is standard. Italy might require up to 700,000 workers in the future."

He further informed reporters that the ministry has sent letters to Malaysia, seeking an extension of the deadline for sending Bangladeshi migrants who are in the pipeline. The current deadline is set to expire on 31 May.