ComplaintsforCIBT Visas

• Initial Complaint

  09/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Placed an order for an Australian business visa with CIBT on August 26, 2022. The visa application kit they sent me was incomplete. They did not have the entire Visa application form in the kit. I had to download the complete form from the Australian Home Departments website so I could sign in. I was charged for a business cover letter and was told I could change it for free within 14 days. On changing it within 15 minutes I was charged again. All my documents were sent to their office in Washington DC using the shipping label they provided to me. Despite the tracking showing it was delivered and signed for on Thursday September 1, 2022, they have refused to go ahead change the status of the documents to received even though they say they will mark it as received within one hour of receiving the documents. To top it off, they are sent me an email saying Final Notice even after getting the documents and me sending them an email asking them to confirm the receipt of the same. I was also charged a passport replacement coverage fee, when an Australian Visa does not require the passport to be sent to them since it is all electronic and a letter is provided. Their customer service is useless, I stay on hold for 30 minutes and the agents cannot help me or I am disconnected. I am at a point now, where I need to spend more money to rebook/cancel flights and loose out on business because they do not do what they advertise. I will never use this service again.

  Customer response

  09/13/2022

  From: ************************ <********************>
  Date: Mon, Sep 12, 2022 at 7:49 PM
  Subject: Complaint ID ********; CIBT Visas
  To: *********@mybbb.org <*******@mybbb.org>
  
  
  *****,
  The business has gone ahead and resolved my complaint. We no longer need the complaint to be kept open. Thank you for the assistance.
  
  Regards,
  ****** 

• Initial Complaint

  08/29/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My husband and I both applied for visas through cibtvisas. We placed our order on August 10th. We were each charged $214.41. our travel agent asked us to get our visas to her as soon as possible. My husband was told that others that were going from our company had their visas the next day after applying with a different source. On August 15th I called cibtvisas to inquire when are visas would be sent. I was told that they would be ready August 23rd and they would be emailed directly to us. I explained that we needed them sooner and could we please cancel the order and be issued a refund. I was told yes and she put me on hold while she canceled our order and then came back then told me I should see a credit within a couple of business days. I was also told that she would contact the caseworker and let him know that the order for the visas had been canceled. I then applied with the other source and we did get our visas the next day. We didn't get a refund so I emailed cibtvisas August 20th. I called them August 22nd to ask them about the refund. I was told there was never a refund issued and that our visas would be there on August 23rd. She said she would send my concern to the department that needed to know this. But we still haven't received a refund. Yes our Visa through cibtvisas did come to our emails. Now we have two Visas each. That's when I decided to contact BBB to help us get our promised refund. I uploaded the supporting documents and some of them are my call log showing that I called cibtvisas.

  

  Business response

  08/30/2022

  Hello,

  I sincerely apologize for any issues you had concerning your Kenya Visa experience.  I have refunded all the fees as requested and attached the credit notes indicating refunds.

  We appreciate the feedback on your working with us.  Note that the fees assessed were the discounted fees for ************** and that your Kenya evisas were completed and sent to you on 23 August.  Our records indicate you are not entering Kenya until mid-September so the processing of the visas were done well in advance of your trip.

  We hope you will consider CIBTvisas again in the future.

  Regards

  Eric M***********

  V.P. Operations

  North America

  CIBTvisas

  Customer response

  09/01/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  11/10/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  They charged me almost $600 dollars to renew a passport and passport card. I was not in a hurry for this, I asked if it could be done by 11/30/2021. They emailed me and said the State Department was behind and it would be 12/30/2021.I have been emailing with one of there agents, they tried to draft my account for almost $600, at that time I did not have the cash in my account. I spoke to the agent and said that was way to much money for this and asked her to send my passport and passport card back. She stated that my documents were already sent to the State Department. I asked her her why? I said " so is that a normal business practice to send something off without getting paid?" I asked if there was something we can do, that it was way to much money for this service. She said she would speak to a supervisor. A day or two went by and I didn't have a response from them. I checked my bank account and they took the money out. I was not happy about this and accused the company of being a fraud, I also said "I want to know what your supervisor said. I do not recall at all of seeing the cost of this. I would've never used them. All they do is collect all the documents and send them in. $600 is ridiculous for this. I would like for them to give me some of that money back.

  

  Business response

  11/28/2021

  Dear *****************

  Thank you for taking the time to outline your concerns with our services and fees. I do apologize that you were not contacted by someone on my team to clearly explain our fees and services to you.  The total charged to your card was $582.60, this includes ** Passport government fees of $200 for your new passport and Passport Card. (non refundable as paid to US Passport Services, $254.00 CIBT Service fee, $17.56 US Passport Expedite fee to ensure passport is returned Express mail and not 1st class mail, $98.18 in shipping and additional services fees.

  Our service fees are outlined on our website under the Services Directory > Rates and Service fees.  When you had inquired about your service and wanting to cancel, your request had already been submitted to the ** Passport office, once submitted it cannot be retrieved and must process as requested.  Your new passport and card are expected to be completed around the 17th of December.

  In good faith to you I am refunding you our CIBT Service fees of $254.00. You will received credit note in your email in the next 24 hours.

  We apologize for any confusion and lack of communication on our part.

  Regards

  Eric M*********

  V.P. Operations

  Customer response

  01/21/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: they respond with they sent a final invoice. This is after the fact that they charged me almost $600. They may have said they are issuing a refund. I have checked my account many times and they never refunded me the money like they said they would.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************
  

  

  Business response

  01/26/2022

  Dear ***************** - we are attaching the documents clearly showing refunds made and additionally the automated refund notice from our tracking systems.  The total charged to your card was $285.60.  If you card company has not processed the refund made on 28 Nov you will need to contact them as our Credit Card processing vendor shows refund completed on our side.

  CIBTVisas considers this matter resolved as we did refund fees as we stated and only charged $285.60 in total after refund made

  Regards

  CIBTVisas

• Initial Complaint

  10/30/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I inquired about a passport renewal at CIBT because of an email advertisement which stated it has services for $59. After I signed up, I received another email directing me to fill out an application online and take a pic and upload it online. No fees were discussed upfront. I was under the impression that it would be $59, plus $17.56 plus $170 for the State Department. My wife and I weren’t in a hurry to travel, we just wanted to preserve our Chine visa that we purchased through CIBT. I received a failed charge in my card for around $580. I contact CIBT on the day after sending documents in which was the 22nd of Oct to cancel the charge because it is incorrect. After After speaking to ****** on October 23rd, letting her know that we could not afford these outrageous charges, she stated she would cancel the application and would only be able to send passports back if it was ok with her supervisor. I said ok. On the 28th of October I received another attempt to charge my card. I email ******, ******** (******) and ***** and ******* that it was agreed that the transaction was cancelled. I asked that I receive a receipt of the cancellation. At this time there was no movement the CIBT website as to the passports being processed. I spoke to them on the 29th and they told me that they can’t help me and sent off our documents to the State Department, call them to cancel. Why lie and say you'd cancel and why not send an invoice of what I'm receiving before you rope us into this web of deceit. I've paid in the past for clearly stated fees from CIBT but this was not the case this time. Please adjust these fees, and return our passports to us. Account *****

  

  Business response

  11/07/2021

  Dear Ms. Cooper
  
  We appreciate your feedback regarding your experience with CIBTVisas and your passport renewal.  Your passport renewal request is with the US State Department and once submitted they cannot be removed, so the passport is in process and expected out around 20 Dec if not sooner. 

  For the fees I do show that we have lowered our CIBT service fee in good faith to $59, plus government fee and shipping.  We are not sure how the $59 fee was shown to you as we have not offered this fee on any campaigns we have had.  

  Once the passports have been processed they will be shipped to you.

  We apologize for any inconvenience of confusion

  Regards

  Eric M.
  VP Operations CIBTVisas

  Customer response

  11/09/2021

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩