‘We just want answers’: Filipino expats seek help after losing thousands over promised UAE self-sponsored visas

Dubai: Filipino expatriates in the UAE have allegedly lost thousands of dirhams after paying Trip Expert Business and Marketing Solutions for self-sponsored visas and related services, with some now facing mounting fines and serious financial difficulties.

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have noted that they believed the company was legitimate because of advertisements, Filipino influencers, or personal referrals.

The interviewees have identified Junie Sorsano, whom they regarded as the founder and CEO of Trip Expert, and Ryan Ronel Baco, whom they identified as managing director.

The interviewees told Gulf News that they have documents, including receipts, agreements, payment records, WhatsApp conversations, and refund forms, relating to their transactions.

For Myra Javier, a hospitality assistant who has lived in Abu Dhabi for 13 years, the decision to reach out to Trip Expert was based on what she thought was a credible recommendation.

Javier has come across the company on Facebook and was influenced by a famous vlogger who endorsed it.

“Before they are good and I heard they are legit because many people got a visa from them,” shared Javier.

Javier has paid Dh6,000 for a self-sponsored visa with a trade licence because she trusted the person handling her application.

“I realised I was scammed when I'm asking them about my visa and no one is answering me.”

She has continued asking for updates before discovering numerous posts on Facebook from people who were angry and asking for refunds. The alleged loss has gone beyond the money she paid.

“The visa scam had serious impact on me financially, personally, and emotionally. This situation has caused a lot of stress, anxiety, and serious financial difficulties, plus I have a baby too.”

For Mira Mahilum, the decision to apply for a self-sponsored visa has followed a series of difficult personal and employment circumstances.

She has worked in Dubai for three years. In April, her employer has decided to permanently close the business because of concerns about the regional situation, and her UAE employment visa was cancelled.

In May, she left Dubai and went to Oman, where she has changed her visa for two months while looking for another job in the emirate. In June, her father died, and she has returned to the Philippines because of the family emergency.

By August, she wanted to return to Dubai and continue working so she could support herself and her family. She has then started searching for a travel agency that could legally and safely assist her in returning to Dubai.

During that search, she has come across a well-known Filipino blogger who endorsed Trip Expert.

“Because of this endorsement, I believed that Trip Expert was a legitimate and trustworthy company,” recalled Mahilum.

She has then contacted Sorsano through WhatsApp. The founder and CEO has convinced her to apply for a two-year self-sponsored visa costing Dh8,500. She has been assured that she would not be offloaded at Philippine immigration because she would be presented as a business investor.

Because she urgently wanted to return to Dubai, Mahilum has trusted what she was told.

Mahilum did not make the payment immediately. Last month, she has asked a friend in Dubai to personally visit the Trip Expert office in Deira to verify that the company was legitimate.

Her friend has visited the office and spoke with a manager.

“They appeared professional and convincing. Everything they showed us made the company appear legitimate,” described Mahilum.

Sorsano then told her that she needed to make the full payment before the visa could be processed. The process would take approximately two weeks to one month.

Her friend returned to the Trip Expert office and has made the payment on her behalf. The original price was Dh8,500 but she has received a discount and paid Dh8,100.

After the payment, Sorsano sent her a receipt and an agreement as proof that the payment has been received. She believed her visa application would finally be processed.

Just three days after she made the payment, Sorsano has stopped responding.

“He disappeared and I could no longer contact him through WhatsApp.”

Her friend has returned to the Trip Expert office to follow up.

“To our shock, the staff were no longer there, and the office appeared to have been abandoned.”

Mahilum has subsequently discovered Facebook posts from other Filipinos who have also paid Trip Expert for visas and other services but have not received what they paid for.

She has later discovered that other Filipino applicants were also claiming that their visas have not been processed despite making payments.

A group chat has also been formed where people who described themselves as victims shared their experiences, evidence, receipts, agreements, conversations, and other information related to their transactions.

“I am asking for a proper investigation into Trip Expert, Junie Sorsano, and the people involved in this transaction.”

For Guendolyn Cajutol, the alleged visa problem has also resulted in growing fines. Cajutol, who has lived in Dubai for 11 years, has found out about Trip Expert through advertisements and various popular influencers in the UAE. She has applied for a visa in March.

“I paid a Dh1,500 down payment using Tabby, and I fully paid the remaining balance in June,” stated Cajutol.

Her licence and e-card have been released in August but she still had not received her visa. Meanwhile, her fines have continued to accumulate.

“Since March, I have already been accumulating fines. As of today, my fines have reached almost Dh10,600, and tomorrow another Dh50 will be added.”

Cajutol has bared that many OFWs have placed their trust in the company.

“The amount of stress they have caused us is overwhelming. We trusted them, but they have completely broken that trust.”

She has revealed that applicants have not received a clear explanation about what was happening.

“Many of us have already fully paid for our visas, but we still have not received them, while our fines continue to accumulate.”

For Cajutol, the money involved has represented years of hard work and sacrifice.

“Millions of dirhams have been taken from money that we worked extremely hard to earn. We work day and night and make sacrifices just to save enough money to obtain a self-sponsored visa.”

Lorena Magpantay, a housemaid who has lived in Dubai for 26 years, has first known about the agency through Facebook and a Filipino vlogger.

She first checked whether the company was legitimate before contacting a manager named Izon. She has been instructed that she needed to make the full payment before the self-sponsored visa could be processed and that it would be completed within three weeks.

After making the payment, she has reminded the staff about her visa every week.

“They told me it is on process and I need to wait,” exclaimed Magpantay.

In September, she has visited the office and found a large number of Filipinos there who were also complaining about their visas.

“Almost 86 people were there in the office that time with the same problem with me.”

Magpantay has spoken with a manager named Josephine about getting her money back. She has been told that if she wanted a refund, she needed to sign papers. After signing them, she asked when she would receive her money.

“She said after one week because the owner of Trip Expert was going to the Philippines.”

When she returned after a week, however, she has been requested to come back after one month, without being given a specific date. She has tried to return to the office again, but it was already closed.

“I don’t know how I can pay for a new visa.”

Magpantay has even sold all her gold to pay her dues through Tabby.

Charma Bornidor, a salon worker who has lived in Dubai for 12 years, has been introduced to Trip Expert by a friend.

Her friend has given her the number of an agent named Maricor, whom she contacted through WhatsApp. She wanted to purchase a one-year visa for her friend, who was then in the Philippines.

“We decided to apply for a one-year visa,” shared Bornidor.

They have paid Dh7,000 after being told that the processing would take 30 days. About two weeks after making the payment, Bornidor has contacted the agent for an update.

“She told me that the visa application we had submitted had already passed the authority’s checking.”

After exactly one and a half months, she has contacted the agent again.

“She did not reply. I also tried calling her, but she did not answer.”

Bornidor then contacted the processing team.

“Someone answered, but when I asked about the visa update, they hung up on me. That was when I started to believe that I might have been scammed.”

Bornidor has searched Facebook and found many comments from people claiming their visas have never been processed despite making payments. She has also commented about her own experience and was contacted privately by other people.

“There were hundreds of people who claimed to be victims of the same situation.”

Bornidor has personally reported the matter to Dubai Police.

“I submitted all of my payment receipts and the refund form that was given to me by Trip Expert,” relayed Bornidor.

The situation has caused her considerable stress.

“The money we paid was very difficult for us to earn.”

The OFWs say they are now seeking answers about what happened to their applications and money.

For them, the issue is not simply about a delayed visa. Their savings, legal status, and ability to work and support their families have been affected.

“We are now asking for accountability, investigation, and justice,” said Mahilum.

“We just want answers, accountability, and help,” added Cajutol.

Gulf News has also reached out to the founder and CEO of Trip Expert, Sorsano, but has not received a response as of writing.