Threatened by an agent

cafe_carl

I had sent my Schengen visa copy to a small time travel agent for some query. The conversation didn't turn out well and now he's threatening to email the German embassy my Schengen visa copy and tell them I gave dummy bookings to get a visa. These flight bookings were provided by him 5 months ago. The hotel bookings were genuine though. I have a valid Schengen visa which expires next year. Will the embassy take any action based on his email?...

Originally asked by Mohd on Stack Exchange (travel) (CC BY-SA 4.0).

uphilltech

Great question — answering as the UphillTech team:

It’s always helpful to keep in mind who actually holds the power in this process. External visa centers like VFS Global or BLS, as well as private agents, are just service providers. Their only job is to collect your paperwork and pass it along. They don't make decisions on your visa, and they certainly don't have the authority to refuse it—that power rests entirely with the consulate or embassy. No legitimate official channel will ever pressure you into a visa, and there’s simply no such thing as "pay extra for a guaranteed approval." All those added services at processing centers—like priority lounges, SMS updates, photo services, or couriers—are 100% optional. If an agent or staff member...

Full answer by Thomas: https://travel.stackexchange.com/a/204714 (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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