\New Delhi, March 2025 — In a significant move against fraudulent visa activities, the U.S. Embassy in India announced the cancellation of approximately 2,000 visa appointments after detecting major scheduling violations. The decision underscores the embassy’s commitment to upholding the integrity of the visa application process and curbing illicit activities.
A notice issued by the embassy on X stated, “Consular Team India identified bad actors who made about 2,000 visa appointments that violated our scheduling policies. Effective immediately, we are canceling these appointments and suspending the associated accounts’ scheduling privileges. We have zero tolerance for agents and fixers that violate our scheduling policies.”
This development is part of a broader crackdown on fraudulent visa practices, which has prompted an ongoing investigation by Delhi Police. The case, filed on February 27 following a complaint from the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi’s Chanakyapuri, implicates more than 30 individuals from states including Punjab and Haryana. The suspects are alleged to have engaged in visa fraud between May and August 2024.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the accused—comprising visa agents and applicants—collaborated to forge documents such as bank statements, educational records, and employment certificates to obtain U.S. visas unlawfully. The U.S. authorities identified 21 cases where applicants submitted fraudulent claims with assistance from agents and document vendors.
Investigators discovered that applicants were charged fees ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹15 lakh for these services. In one particular case, an applicant named Chamkaur Singh admitted during his visa interview that he had never held the job position mentioned in his application. He disclosed that his visa agent fabricated employment details to cover gaps in his career history and provided falsified bank documents under both his and his father’s name. Singh further stated that his father had agreed to pay ₹13 lakh upon visa approval.
The embassy’s internal investigation leveraged IP tracking to identify fraudulent activity linked to multiple visa consultants and vendors. Authorities noted discernible patterns of fraudulent submissions, leading to the suspension of associated accounts and further legal action. The FIR has been registered under Sections 318, 336, and 340 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, as well as Section 66(D) of the Information Technology (IT) Act. Raids are currently underway to locate and apprehend additional individuals connected to the fraudulent network.
Describing the situation as “a serious security matter that affects both the United States and India,” the U.S. Embassy has urged Indian law enforcement to expedite the investigation and take stringent action against those involved in the fraudulent visa racket.
This crackdown highlights the embassy’s continued vigilance in ensuring the integrity of visa processing while reinforcing its commitment to preventing exploitation of the system by unscrupulous agents and applicants.
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