4 Spanish Consulate Employees in Morocco’s Nador Investigated for Providing Fake Documents to Schengen Visa Applicants

The Moroccan authorities have said that four employees of the Spanish Consulate General in Nador are being investigated for helping applicants obtain Schengen visas by providing fake documents to them.

The investigation started at the request of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, José Manuel Albares, who said that the case of the so-called “visa mafia” needs to be uncovered as soon as possible, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

According to El Español, one of the suspects, who is a national of Morocco, joined the permanent staff in 2021, and he is close to the consul José Leandro Consarnau Guardiola.

As revealed, it is suspected that the employee helped a large number of family members and friends to obtain a Spain Schengen Visa by submitting fake documents in exchange for money.

A neighbour of the suspect said that half the population of his neighbourhood went to Spain with the help of the consulate employee. The same said that the consulate employee charged around €8,000 per application.

In addition to the above-mentioned, it has been stressed that there are also at least three more people involved in the case. The other three suspects include a senior employee of the Consulate in Nador, a head of the visa department, and another person who works at the consulate.

Moroccan authorities have also started an investigation on the matter that targets local authorities, politicians, and merchants, among others.

As El Español explains, the four people who are being investigated prepared fake documents, starting from bank statements to proof of accommodation to help applicants meet the Schengen visa application requirements.

Reportedly, some of the suspects required applicants to pay an amount of up to €15,000. They then assisted the applicants throughout the entire process.

Furthermore, the Moroccan intelligence agencies have also stepped into the matter. They have already requested information about the possibility of Spanish authorities being involved in this case.

This is not the first time that the Moroccan authorities are investigating people for being involved in the issuance of forged visas.

Earlier in June of this year, the Moroccan authorities launched an investigation against two Spanish Consulate General in Tangier employees in Tangier and two Moroccan intermediaries over the suspicion that they have been involved in Schengen visa fraud.

As the police explained back then, the intermediaries falsified all types of documents, including bank statements and work contracts, in exchange for money.