"Don't Be Fooled": US Explains How to Avoid Being Scammed When Applying for Online Visa
- The US Department of State warned Americans about unofficial websites charging extra fees for passport renewal services
- Scam sites use endings like .com, .us, or .org to appear legitimate, but only .gov sites are official government portals
- The State Department directed all passport renewal applicants to use only the official government website to avoid being defrauded
The United States Department of State has issued a warning to Americans seeking to renew their passports, urging them to be wary of unofficial third-party websites that pose as government portals and charge unnecessary fees.
The department said some websites mimic official government pages but operate as private businesses that either overcharge applicants or simply collect and forward forms that are freely available on the real government site.
Source: Getty Images
How to spot the official US website
According to the State Department, the only legitimate site for passport renewal is travel.state.gov. The department said the surest way to confirm a site is genuine is to check that its web address ends in ".gov", which is exclusively reserved for official US government platforms.
Sites ending in ".com", ".us", or ".org" are not government-operated, the department warned, and travellers who use them risk paying inflated charges for services that cost nothing on the official portal.
US visa: What the scam sites actually do
The State Department said these third-party platforms typically offer no added value. In most cases, they charge a fee to provide the same application forms that anyone can download for free from travel.state.gov, then submit those forms to the government on the applicant's behalf.
Beyond the financial cost, using such sites also means handing over personal information to private operators who have no official connection to the US government.
Americans planning to renew their passports were advised to go directly to travel.state.gov and complete the process through official channels only.
Source: Getty Images
Reactions as US warns Americans
However, the explanation has started generating reactions from Americans. Below are some of their comments:
Binah urged the US to be more strict against scammers:
"Something needs to be done about these scammers. They pretend to be out of Washington, DC, but in reality they are from Syria or somewhere in the Middle East. It happened to someone I know. The website and application submission process mimics the official .gov website. In addition to scamming you out of money, they retain your sensitive identity information."
Esther makes an enquiry:
"Do you need a passport to go to Alaska if you live in the USA?"
Bryan Madrigal called for the availability of the new passport:
"Please make the new passport design available for everyone online."
Angela L.E. Komorovska welcomed the development:
"Good to know!"
You can read the full statement on X here:
US releases new update on dual citizenship
Legit.ng earlier reported that the United States government requires all dual national citizens, including children, to enter and exit the country using a valid US passport.
Dual nationals who apply for an ESTA using a foreign passport risk having the authorisation denied or cancelled by the Department of Homeland Security.
US citizens living abroad are urged to check their passport expiry dates before travelling, as passports must generally be valid for at least six months.
Source: Legit.ng
