US going tough on visa fraud

Chandigarh, May 16 (UNI) The U S Embassy in India has become extra vigilant in the wake of the increasing number of fraudulent visa applicants.

Speaking to reporters at the Chandigarh Press Club today, U S Consul General Peter Kaestner said a significant number of applicants were relying on incorrect information and were using false documents to support their applications.

He said the US Mission in India was alarmed by a rush of ''clearly unqualified'' visa applicants in recent weeks, creating a scarcity of visa appointments in New Delhi and Mumbai for legitimate Indian travellers during the busy summer travel season.

Regarding fraudulent information and documents, he said "there are individuals and companies who are taking advantage of Indian citizens by suggesting they can provide a short cut to an American visa. These people are deceiving innocent people into wasting their money and making it harder for legitimate travellers to obtain visa appointments".

Mr Kaestner highlighted the strict procedures the U S Mission follows to catch and prosecute people seeking to obtain U S visas with false or fraudulent information.

He said not only could the use of fake documents make a person permanently ineligible to enter the U S, it could also lead to criminal prosecution in India.

Highlighting the ''good cooperation'' between the US Embassy and Indian law enforcement in prosecuting visa fraud, Mr Kaestner said that the U S Embassy had investigated or prosecuted over 50 criminal cases in the past 18 months.

He stressed that fraudulent applications by unqualified individuals makes the visa application process more difficult for legitimate applicants.

Stressing that the United States continues to welcome all legitimate applicants to apply for a visa, he warned that the use of false documents could have ''dire consequences.'' UNI