Immigration officials at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru recently apprehended 28-year-old and 32-year-old men from Punjab attempting to board a flight to London with forged UK visas. The accused, Amritpal Singh and Pradeep Singh, private firm employees from Jalandhar, submitted their travel documents for verification before boarding on January 25.
Upon inspection, officials suspected irregularities in the visas and forwarded the details to the UK Border Agency and the British High Commission for verification. The response confirmed that no visas had been issued to them, nor had they submitted any applications.
Fake visas sourced through tout
Investigations revealed that the Singhs had approached a local tout in Jalandhar, identified as Pappu, to procure work visas. Pappu allegedly forged the documents and inserted them into their passports after receiving payment. Following the discovery, airport police registered a case against them for forgery.
This is not an isolated case, and it is not limited to UK-bound travellers.
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Cases of visa and document fraud have increased in the last couple of years. In 2023, 19-year-old Indian student Aryan Anand was caught using forged admission and financial aid documents to secure admission to Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, US. Anand even fabricated his father’s death to obtain additional support.
The fraud was exposed through a Reddit post where Anand, under the username ‘u/transportationOK4728,’ detailed his scheme. He was arrested on June 12 and charged with forgery, with bail set at $25,000. After pleading guilty, he served a one-to-three-month sentence in Northampton County Prison before returning to India.
In another case, Lovemeet Singh (29) was intercepted by immigration officers at Mumbai International Airport while attempting to board an Air India flight. Officers noted discrepancies in his documents — he was from Punjab but held a Bachelor of Commerce certificate from North East Frontier Technical University in Arunachal Pradesh. Upon questioning, he admitted to obtaining a student visa through forged documents. Singh had originally pursued a hotel management course but was unable to complete it due to an accident. Facing difficulties in securing a visa, he sought the assistance of an agent, Abhinav Kumar, in Jammu, who charged him Rs 15 lakh to arrange fake educational and supporting documents for a UK student visa.
Another individual, Gurupratap Singh (22) from Uttarakhand, was caught on September 30 with seven fraudulent educational documents, including a fake Bachelor of Commerce certificate. He had paid Rs 15 lakh to an agent to obtain the documents, which claimed he intended to pursue an MSc in Data Science and Market at Goldsmiths, University of London. His deception was uncovered when officials noted that his background in commerce was inconsistent with his intended MSc programme.
Stricter scrutiny amid rising scams
India has seen a sharp increase in immigration fraud, with dishonest agents exploiting those hoping to study, work, or settle abroad. These scams have caused financial and emotional distress for many, while also affecting India’s reputation as a provider of skilled workers. In response, several foreign governments have tightened visa regulations and increased scrutiny of Indian applicants.
According to Delhi Police data, the IGI Airport Police arrested 108 fraudulent agents in the first six months of 2024, a sharp rise from 51 arrests during the same period in 2023.
In November, the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) department warned Indian applicants to be wary of scammers impersonating officials, offering expedited visa processing, or requesting payments through unauthorised channels. It stated that it does not contact individuals via social media, request payments through personal bank accounts, or guarantee visa approvals in exchange for third-party payments. All payments for UK visa services must be made exclusively through GOV.UK or its authorised partners.