Ask the Consul – Protect yourself

The United States Embassy in Santo Domingo wants visa applicants to protect themselves from becoming victims of visa fraud. Our “Ten cuida’o con ese Maco” campaign helps applicants to identify the macos – dishonest lawyers, travel agents, and fixers – and to understand the consequences of immigration fraud.

Each year, millions of people obtain a tourist visa to visit the United States. Although the application has a monetary cost, our goal is that the process be as simple as possible for the applicant. All of the necessary information can be found at www.ustraveldocs.com/do, free of charge.

Unfortunately, there are dishonest individuals that try to take advantage of confused or uninformed visa applicants. They sell promises and guarantees and push fake documents and false stories. They charge their victims high prices and convince them to lie in their visa applications and interviews.

Although the visa fixer creates the fraudulent documents and the false story, it’s the visa applicant who faces the harshest consequences. The use of false documents may destroy any possibility of travel to the United States.  Travelers will lose the dream of visiting friends or seeing everything the United States has to offer, and it can leave you ineligible for any residency visa in the future.

Far too many times, eager applicants arrive at the Embassy with a package of fake documents and false information.  They paid a visa fixer thousands for the service, but the price will be much higher when the fraud is discovered. No vale la pena because they are almost always caught. The applicant’s visa is refused and their credibility is destroyed. They face a permanent ban on traveling to the U.S. and sometimes arrest and incarceration in the Dominican Republic.

Remember, there is never a good reason to provide false information.  Fraud is always wrong and it can be a crime.  Don’t be fraud’s next victim. If you are thinking of applying for a visa, visit https://do.usembassy.gov/es/maco to learn how to protect yourself from fraud. Learn the facts, protect yourself, and ten cuida’o con ese maco!