US Cracks Down On Visa Fraud: 2,000 Bot-Booked Appointments Canceled

The US Embassy in India has intensified its efforts against visa fraud, canceling approximately 2,000 bot-generated visa appointments. The embassy's consular team identified and suspended accounts of "bad actors" who violated scheduling policies, reinforcing their commitment to maintaining the integrity of the visa application process.

Agents reportedly use automated bots to hoard appointment slots, preventing genuine applicants from securing near-term bookings. This practice has contributed to extensive wait times, especially for B1 and B2 visas, which are issued for business and tourism purposes. In response to severe delays-ranging from 800 to 1,000 days in 2022-23-the US opened visa appointment slots for Indian applicants at consulates in Frankfurt and Bangkok.

The visa backlog has been a persistent issue, prompting India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to raise concerns with US officials. During his January 2025 discussions with the second Trump administration, Jaishankar emphasized that a 400-day wait for visas was detrimental to bilateral relations.

Meanwhile, student visa (F-1) rejections have surged to a decade high. Between October 2023 and September 2024, 41% of global F-1 visa applications were denied-nearly double the 2014 refusal rate. Of the 6.79 lakh applications received, 2.79 lakh were rejected. Indian students, in particular, faced a 38% drop in visa approvals in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

With the crackdown on fraudulent bookings, the visa logjam may ease, potentially reducing wait times for legitimate applicants.