- Report: #1399554
Complaint Review: VisaHQ - Nationwide
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VisaHQ
Nationwide, USA
Phone:
1-800-345-6541
Web:
https://www.visahq.com/
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VisaHQ Knowingly Uses Hurricane Harvey To Steal Money. Immoral and Unreliable Houston Nationwide
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VisaHQ Knowingly Uses Hurricane Harvey to Steal Money. Immoral and Unreliable
VisaHQ submitted my Brazilian visa application long after my flight departure date. Initially they advised it would take roughly 14 business days to process my application However, once they received my application they called me two days later. 48 hours after they received my application they advised that they could not process it in their Los Angeles offices and if I wanted the visa I had to pay an additional 30+ dollars to send it to Houston. The woman in the call center advised that Houston had a faster processing time that Los Angeles which was odd, but what do I know about Visa Applications.
Days later Hurricane Harvey struck Houston. On August 29, 2017 I called the offices to confirm that they would not be able to process the visa in time. A very young woman answered the phone seemingly unaware of my specific details. She advised “VisaHQ would be closed until the Friday Sept 1st, and the Brazilian consulate was not advising a reopening date at all. At this time my passport had not been submitted to Brazil. Seeing as it was only 2 working business days till my flight left for Brazil and it was and estimated 10 business days for processing, I asked for a refund and my passport back knowing it was impossible to get the visa in time far more for getting the passport back to board the flight.
On Monday September 11th, I called to ask about my refund status and passport. My account manager Jasmine Galloway advised my application was not submitted and I needed to speak to a manager because “only managers can process refunds”. I was told I would receive a call in 30 mins but that call never came. The next morning, I received and email advising that my Visa application was submitted. I called in and a young man reluctantly gave me to a manager. Tenaz Sunavela, said she had no record of me asking for a refund on the 29th. (despite the obvious improbability of me getting a visa at the time of that call.) She advised she had no record of me asking for a refund on the Sept 11th. (despite the flight having already left America and actually due to return home on this the 12th, the date we were speaking on and the date they submitted the application to Brazil.) Further she advised that because they had no control over the Hurricane Harvey and the Brazilian consulate closing, they can’t give me a refund.
They submitted my application after the Brazilian trip was over. They knew long before they submitted the application that it was unlikely I would get a visa. And they made no record of my request for a refund. I also am providing documents that they knew the processing times in Houston were longer than they advised. Don’t give them your money. They have 0 accountability.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Issue Resolved
#2Author of original report
Thu, September 21, 2017
A few days after the filing of this report I was contacted by a higher manager from VisaHq. He apologized for the situation and promptly began the refund process. He made sure that I received the visa and passport paid for by VisaHq. While he nor anyone involved with VisaHq accepted responsibility for this situation, I am certainly happy with the approach, execution and resolve of Keith as opposed to the previous manager.
VisaHQ Customer Support
Washington,Dist of Columbia,
USA
Delays caused due to Hurricane Harvey
#3UPDATE Employee
Thu, September 14, 2017
We have worked with this customer to resolve the issues on hand, issued a 100% refund even though we are continueing to process the visa applied for and have paid the embassy for, which means we are paying $180 for the visa that the client has been refunded for. Due to several unforeseen factors caused by Hurricane Harvey, this applicant's passport was caught at the Brazilian consulate and we were unable to retrieve it due to the flooding in Houston. The Brazilian consulate closed earlier than expected and had not opened until early September after the floods had receded, during this time our Houston office was also closed due to the floods as our employees were being evacuated. This was an unfortunate event that was completley out of our control, however we have done the best that we can to resolve it. The brazilian consulate does advise that travellers do not purchase their tickets until the visa has been approved and granted as issuance of visas are not guaranteed and are a priviledge to the applicants. The consulate and VisaHQ do not take responsibility for loss of funds due to visa applications being delayed or rejected as this is solely on the discretion of the consulate of foreign countries.
