A recent claim made by Varney Alieu Jarsey, President of the All-Africa Students Union (AASU), suggesting that the Russian Embassy in Ghana refunds visa fees to applicants who are denied visas, has been debunked as false.
Jarsey made the statement during an appearance on the July 29 edition of “Ok Morning Rush” on Liberia’s OK FM, which was also streamed live on Facebook.
He alleged that the Russian Embassy in Ghana had a policy of refunding visa fees to unsuccessful applicants, citing compassion for “poor African people.”
His remarks gained significant traction on social media, with the video amassing over 66,000 views, 1,600 comments, and 772 likes as of August 13, 2024.
However, a fact-checking investigation by DUBAWA, a leading platform for combating misinformation in Africa, has revealed that the claim is incorrect.
DUBAWA’s investigation included a thorough review of the Russian Embassy’s official website in Ghana, where it was clearly stated that visa fees are non-refundable.
According to the embassy’s policy outlined on their consular services page, visa fees are charged for the processing of documents and are not subject to reimbursement, regardless of the visa application outcome.
Further searches by DUBAWA found no credible evidence to support the AASU President’s assertion that the embassy refunds fees to denied visa applicants.
The investigation concluded that the claim is false and misleading.
The Russian Embassy in Ghana has also reaffirmed its stance, emphasizing that visa fees are collected solely for the processing of applications and are not returned if a visa is denied.
This case serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying information from credible sources to prevent the spread of misinformation.