New Delhi: A large-scale visa fraud operation has been uncovered following a complaint from the US Embassy, leading to the registration of a case against 31 individuals by the Delhi Police on Thursday.
According to the FIR, visa agents operating primarily from Punjab, Haryana, and other states were allegedly forging bank statements, educational certificates, and employment records to secure US visas for applicants. The embassy identified 21 instances of fraudulent applications between May and August 2024, highlighting a conspiracy between agents and applicants to deceive the US government.
“The agents are suspected of submitting fraudulent information on online visa applications (DS-160s) and providing fake documents to applicants to cheat the US Embassy in India and the US government,” the FIR stated.
How the Scam Operated
During its investigation, the US Embassy traced multiple fraudulent applications to specific IP addresses linked to visa consultants, document vendors, and education consultants. It was found that some agents charged applicants between ₹1 lakh and ₹15 lakh for arranging fake documents.
In one case, an agent promised to secure a visa for an applicant named Chamkaur Singh in exchange for ₹13 lakh. Singh, who applied for a non-immigrant visa on August 20, 2024, falsely claimed to be employed as a front desk operator at a Punjab-based company. However, during his visa interview, he admitted that he had never worked in that position and that an immigration agent had fabricated his employment details to cover a one-year gap in his work history.
Singh also revealed that the agent provided fake bank documents in his and his father’s name. “Singh stated that he had no access to or control over the account, which was created solely for the visa application. He further mentioned that his father was required to pay ₹13 lakh to the agent upon visa approval,” the FIR noted.
Legal Action and Wider Crackdown
Authorities have registered a case under sections 318, 336, and 340 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act. Investigators are now conducting raids to identify and arrest others involved in the fraudulent network.
This development comes amid an intensified crackdown on illegal immigration under US President Donald Trump’s administration. The deportation of Indian nationals from the US has surged by 400% in the past three years, according to a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) report released in December 2024.
Recent deportation flights have seen hundreds of Indian nationals being sent back. On February 5, a US military flight brought back 104 deportees in shackles. Subsequent flights on February 15 and February 16 carried 119 and 112 deportees, respectively, with strict security measures in place.
The ongoing crackdown signals stricter scrutiny of visa applications and a stronger stance against fraudulent immigration practices.
