US Embassy tough on visa fraud

New Delhi, June 8 (UNI) US Ambassador David Mulford today said visa fraud was a criminal act that would be dealt with firmly under law as the US Embassy referred seven cases of visa fraud to Indian law enforcement agencies for criminal investigation this month.

''Producing or submitting false papers is a consumer fraud and a criminal act. Those who pay such brokers and submit false papers do so at great risk,'' he said in a press release.

But at the same time, he said, the US Embassy remained committed to assisting all legitimate travellers from India to visit the US and to process their visa applications courteously and as quickly as possible.

According to the release, the seven cases of visa fraud underline the strong and productive cooperation the US Embassy has with Indian law enforcement agencies.

In the past year alone, the US Embassy referred 57 separate individual visa fraud investigations to Indian law enforcement agencies for further investigation or prosecution.

These 57 investigations include only the most egregious cases of visa fraud.

UNI