UK Expands Visa Fraud Campaign in India to Address Illegal Migration

The United Kingdom has extended its campaign against visa fraud in India to include the Tamil Nadu region.

This expansion represents ongoing collaboration between the UK and India to protect individuals from scams and address illegal migration.

The campaign launch coincided with a visit to India by Seema Malhotra, the UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, to observe joint efforts aimed at preventing exploitation, financial loss, and emotional distress, while reducing the number of illegal entrants to the UK.

Campaign Measures in Tamil Nadu

The visa fraud campaign in Tamil Nadu will feature a Tamil-language WhatsApp chatbot and community engagement sessions. These initiatives are designed to help people identify scams and access accurate visa guidance. The campaign follows the pilot programme already underway in Punjab.

The initiative highlights the continuing cooperation between the UK and India to protect vulnerable individuals and enhance border security. It aligns with the UK–India Vision 2035 agreement, which includes commitments to combat exploitation by criminal organisations and reduce irregular migration.

Statements from Minister Seema Malhotra

During the launch event, Minister Malhotra highlighted the purpose of the WhatsApp chatbot, stating that it provides readily accessible information from authoritative UK visa department resources, allowing people to obtain correct guidance and recognise signs of visa fraud.

On the broader UK-India partnership against visa fraud, she emphasised the importance of public awareness, urging individuals to stay safe, protect their savings, and avoid risks associated with visa fraud.

She also acknowledged the cooperation of the Government of Tamil Nadu, the Government of India, the NRT Welfare Department, and the Anna Library for their support in launching the campaign.