Visa fraud: Kerala govt forms task force to check illegal recruitment

Visa fraud continues to make headlines, despite ongoing awareness campaigns. On October 19, Bijoy Thomas, a 51-year-old native of Kakkanad, was arrested by the Edathua Police in Kerala. He was accused of defrauding Thalavady resident Sharanya (34), who committed suicide after being cheated out of approximately Rs 65 lakh.

In 2023 alone, the Kerala state police registered 795 cases related to visa fraud, revealing the extent of the problem, according to official data. It's not just Kerala, though. Last week, a businessman from Ranip, Gujarat, was reportedly cheated out of Rs 3.10 crore by two men who promised to secure an EB-5 visa for him.

 

The EB-5 visa, or employment-based fifth preference visa, is a US programme that allows investors and their families to gain permanent residency in the country. Applicants are granted the right to live, work, and study in the US and benefit from its education system. However, fraudsters have increasingly been taking advantage of people looking to use this visa pathway.

In another incident, Gujarat police lodged two separate complaints regarding a Canada visa scam worth Rs 59 lakh. One case involved Umiya Overseas Consultancy in Kudasan, which allegedly defrauded a woman of Rs 25 lakh. In a similar instance, Jaydeep Patel from Sabarkantha was conned into paying Rs 34 lakh to Atlantic Study Overseas, a Mumbai-based consultancy, in the hopes of moving to Canada. Patel, after making the payment and appearing for his IELTS exam in Ahmedabad, found himself ignored as the consultancy stopped answering his calls.

Kerala govt steps in to curb visa frauds

In response to the growing menace of visa fraud, the Kerala government on Friday announced the formation of a task force to address the rising number of complaints related to illegal recruitment and visa fraud.

The task force was established under the guidance of Dr K Vasuki, Secretary of the Department of Expatriate Affairs, as part of NORKA's "Operation Shubhayatra." NORKA, the Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs, aims to safeguard the rights and welfare of Keralites living abroad.

According to an official release, the task force will include:

The Chief Executive Officer of NORKA Roots

Officers from the Protector of Emigrants in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam

The Superintendent of Police from the NRI Cell

The group will meet monthly to review the progress of investigations into visa fraud complaints.

Role of the Ministry of External Affairs

In an effort to curb fraud on a national level, the Pravasi Legal Cell, an NGO, has made recommendations to the Ministry of External Affairs. These include urging the Ministry to take immediate steps to crack down on recruitment scams.

Further actions have also been taken to strengthen the state’s infrastructure to combat fraud. The State Police Chief and the Superintendent of Police in the NRI Cell have been instructed to bolster the NRI Cell's operations, with plans to create a dedicated cyber cell for handling visa-related cybercrimes.

Possible legal changes

The Kerala government has asked the Law Department to explore the possibility of creating legislation to regulate recruitment agencies, especially those involved in student migration.

Moreover, the Department of Planning and Economic Affairs has been directed to work with banks and financial institutions to monitor transactions related to recruitment fees. Banks have been asked to report any unusual or suspicious financial activities to the authorities.