A visa or job scam costs a Pakistani applicant twice: the money paid to the agent, and a file that Ukrainian law treats as false information. That brings a visa refusal, a possible 3-year entry ban and criminal liability under Art. 358 of the Criminal Code. Every warning we publish ends with an official check you can run.
What a scam costs beyond the money
| What happens | The rule | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Visa refused, fee kept | Knowingly untrue information or falsified documents is a refusal ground on the embassy’s list | Visa refusal grounds |
| Entry ban | False information or forged documents when seeking entry; 3 years (Law 3773-VI, Art. 13, parts 1 and 3) | Ukraine entry bans |
| Criminal case | Knowingly using a forged document (Criminal Code of Ukraine, Art. 358) | Forged documents |
| Work on a fake permit | Work without a permit: the employer is fined (Law 5067-VI, Art. 53), you face possible forced return with a 3-year ban (Law 3773-VI, Art. 26) | Illegal employment risks |
Four checks before you pay anyone
- 01Employer existsFind the company by its EDRPOU code in the Unified State Registerusr.minjust.gov.ua
- 02Permit is publishedThe State Employment Service publishes each decisionwithin 2 working days · Art. 42-7
- 03Fee matches the tariffA D-04 work visa costs USD 404 under the embassy tariffpaid at a bank, with a receipt
- 04Payee is a companyAn invoice in your name, to a company account, against a receiptno personal accounts
Why the shortcuts fail
Every Ukrainian decision has an official body and a term in law: the State Employment Service issues the work permit within 7 working days, the embassy decides the Type D visa within 10 working days and up to 30, the State Migration Service issues the residence card within 15. A seller who promises a “guaranteed” or faster result is selling something outside that system. Who decides each step: who decides your visa.
Shortcuts through officials can end in a criminal case. In November 2023 Ukraine’s Interior Ministry reported that a Ukrainian consul had issued 23 visas in 2020–2021 to citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries by entering false information in the electronic registers, for bribes; the scheme was exposed by the National Police with the Security Service of Ukraine.
What we publish, and how to use it
- 0117 scam alertsFake job offers, work permits, invitation letters, agents and employers, each with the official check that exposes it.
- 0215-point red-flags checklistEvery flag with its rule, its source and the check to run. Printable.
- 03How to verify a Ukrainian employerFive official registers, step by step.
- 04How to check Ukrainian documents onlineSix official checks for a permit, residence card, invitation and visa.
- 05Ten visa myths, checked against the lawWhat Pakistani applicants are told, and what the law says.
- 06Scam prevention planSeven steps before you pay, five after.
Each alert ties its claims to a law article or an official register and carries the date it was last reviewed. Urdu readers: Urdu resources.
Already paid an agent?
Stop further transfers, whatever reason you are given. Keep every chat, receipt and bank record, and report the agent to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA); you can also inform the Embassy of Ukraine in Islamabad. Before you use any document you received, have it checked: a document review, $349, checks up to four papers and gives a signed risk memo; a consultation with a Ukrainian advocate, $249, covers your exposure and next steps.
Questions about our scam warnings
Why does a legal practice publish scam warnings?
What happens if I apply with a fake document?
Can a contact at the embassy get me a visa?
How do I check a Ukrainian job offer before paying?
I already paid an agent. What should I do?
Do you name agents or companies in your alerts?
Read next
- Fake visa agentsWho really decides your visa, and 6 warning signs
- Fake work permitsHow to check that a permit is real
- Fake job offersEight warning signs and the 2026 minimum salary
- Transparency policyWhat we publish before you pay
Sources
Have the employer checked before any money moves.
Employer verification, $199: the company in the Unified State Register, tax activity, signatory and court history, with a GO, CAUTION or STOP verdict in 2–3 working days. Holding papers already? Document review, $349.
Last reviewed: 31 October 2026. Permits, visas and residence cards are decided by Ukrainian state bodies; state terms quoted are statutory maximums. This page is general information; advice on your own case comes from a lawyer under a written engagement.