VFS does not want to give back the refund it is obliged to return

<p>When I requested my refund, VFS failed to comply with its own refund policy THREE TIMES.</p> <p> </p> <p>I submitted my refund application on 16 March 2017 in their offices in Port Elizabeth, they said it would take 30 working days. It is 25 May today and no refund has been made.</p> <p> </p> <p>I have been contacting VFS since 8 May, but to no avail. I received much contradicting information. On 11 May, when I called VFS again, one of the operators, Mr Metsing asked me to resend all my documents and also to write an email to VFS refund office (why must I put extra effort for an issue that resulted from the incompetence of VFS itself?!), which I did. Then I received a reply from Mr Metsing ( ********** ) saying that they could not verify my refund application! I did not hear from him after that.</p> <p> </p> <p>In the meantime, on the same day (11 May), I received an email from VFS information service ( ********** ) stating I would receive my refund by 25 May. That did not happen either.</p> <p> </p> <p>After that, on 11 May, I received an email from Mr Cecil van Rooyen ( ********** ), the Team Leader 2IC, who said I would receive my refund 3 working days after the refund department has contacted me. They never contacted me and the money is still not there. I called Mr van Rooyen again today (25 May), but instead of ensuring I receive the refund, he explained to me that he did not misinform me and that I have to wait for the refund department to respond (how much longer must I wait when they are delayed more than 2 months with paying back my refund!).</p> <p> </p> <p>As if it was not enough that VFS refund policy is ridiculous itself (they return only R800 out of R1350, which each applicant has to pay just to open an account with them in order to be CONSIDERED FOR renewing the visa; that fee does not include the visa fee or any assistance with the documents to be submitted!; on top of that, one cannot claim the refund online, even though the account applicants open are online - one has to spend extra money and time TRAVELLING to the nearest VFS office, where one has to submit documents about bank account ownership, the online account details, filling out a form - but admittedly, I agreed to subject myself to all of this) - however, they failed to comply with their own policy and then they kept wasting my time and money on phone calls during which I tried to remind them about their obligation towards me. In addition, now Mr Van Rooyen expects me to wait patiently for their refund department to contact me which they have not been able to do since 11 May. </p> <p> </p> <p>I strongly advise anyone against using the services of VFS Global for renewing their South African visa.</p> <p> </p> <p>I do not seem to be the only dissatisfied customer as VFS and Mr van Rooyen have received some reviews which are not flattering at all: </p> <p>1. https://www.hellopeter.com/vfs-global/reviews/vfs-s-bad-info-leads-to-rejection-of-visa- ********** </p> <p>2. https://www.hellopeter.com/vfs-global/reviews/lack-of-customer-care-11- ********** </p> <p>3. https://www.hellopeter.com/vfs-global/reviews/vfs-global-poor-services- ********** </p> <p>4. http://www.expatforum.com/expats/south-africa-expat-forum-expats-living-south-africa/965090-procedure-change-extending-1-year-critical-s****s-visa-2.html </p> <p> </p> <p>It seems like VFS Global on the whole is not doing that great a job, since the bad reviews have even reached the Wikipedia article about it:</p> <p>1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VFS_Global</p> <p>2. https://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/visa-c351860.html#comments). </p> <p> </p> <p>I will have to seek legal help as assistance from media if this issue persists.</p>