A number of Afghan refugees are in prisons in Iran, because some other Afghan scammers have offered them fake visa extension.
The refugees who had entered Iran legally after the expiration of their visa date, they wanted to renew their visa; but some scammers have offered them fake visa extension.
One of the refugees who had intended to come back to the country but Iranian border police put him in prison because of fake visa extension said, “I spent 40 days in prison, and giving a lot of money I could leave the prison.”
“Our own Afghans take the people’s passports to extend their visas, by receiving lots of money, they offer a fake visa extension. Our fellow citizens when they want to come back to the country, Iranian police arrest and put them in prison because of fake visa extension,” he said. “Right now more than 20 people are in prison because of fake visa extension. They have been for two months in prison. Iranians urge 15 to 20 million Tomans.”
On the other hand, the documents which Aamaj News Agency has received show that between 23 to 25 million Tomans have been taken per passport for one-year visa extension, but the amount of money have not been written on the extension letter.
The young refugee urged Iranian government to prevent such bad cases.
The refugees say that the scammers are doing their activities in a large-scale, yet Iranian government have not taken any serious step regarding the issue.
We repeatedly called the agencies that extend fake visa, but they did not respond.
In recent months, Iranian government have granted Afghan refugees who lack legal documents a letter that they can commute legally, but despite having that letter some refugees have been deported.
On the other hand, UNHCR says that Iranian government deports 65% of refugees enter the country.
The organization added that Iranian government must not deport the Afghans who fled the war, but Iran keeps deporting Afghans.
