UK expands visa fraud campaign in India to tackle illegal migration at its source
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-21)

UK to launch visa fraud prevention campaign in second Indian state following successful first phase

UK to launch visa fraud prevention campaign in second Indian state following successful first phase

Campaign launch is part of visit by Minister Seema Malhotra, building momentum from the UK-India trade deal signed this summer

It comes as Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood unveils a major shake-up of the UK’s asylum system to tackle abuse of the system

A new government campaign in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu will aim to reduce the number of people travelling to Britain on fake visas, with the UK and India cooperating to protect people from scams and tackle illegal migration at its source.

The campaign, launched by Indo-Pacific Minister Seema Malhotra on a visit to India this week, follows a successful pilot already underway in the Punjab region in northern India. It will include targeted outreach in high-risk areas, plus a Tamil-language WhatsApp chatbot to help Indian nationals identify visa scams and avoid fraudulent agents.

It comes amid wider government efforts to deter illegal migration to the UK and secure the country’s borders – with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood introducing new measures to reduce asylum arrivals as well as sanctioning those responsible for trafficking vulnerable people to the UK.

The campaign demonstrates the continuing momentum of the UK-India partnership, working together to protect vulnerable people and strengthen border security. It builds on UK–India Vision 2035 (https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F688200f0901d5f8d47120592%2FIndia-UK-Vision-2035.pdf&data=05%7C02%7CAnna.Broughton%40fcdo.gov.uk%7Cf40795955283490fcb2408de28551ef6%7Cd3a2d0d37cc84f52bbf985bd43d94279%7C0%7C0%7C638992543240922335%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=OiixrtPUD0VgH%2FwVn5dcKVtaGi6VB7I3isdruIh2oAA%3D&reserved=0), an agreement which includes a commitment to tackling exploitation by criminal organisations and reducing irregular migration.

Minister Seema Malhotra’s visit to India will also take forward the recently signed landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which is projected to boost UK GDP by £4.8 billion annually, raise wages by £2.2 billion, and increase bilateral trade by £25.5 billion.

Building on the success of the Prime Minister’s recent trade mission to India, the Minister will meet British businesses succeeding in Chennai and Bengaluru – including Tesco, Revolut and BT – to hear how the UK-India FTA is helping them grow and bring investment back to the UK.

Minister Seema Malhotra said:

This government is acting to stem the flow of illegal migration at its source – using campaigns targeted at hotspot areas to prevent visa fraud, keeping people safe while securing our borders.

During my visit I will also see first-hand how our landmark Free Trade Agreement will create thousands of jobs, bringing investment back to the UK.

The Minister will then head to the Maldives, where she will see how UK support is helping a nation on the frontline of the climate crisis adapt and protect itself. She will visit a UK-supported mangrove conservation project in Huraa which supports biodiversity and local livelihoods. She will also meet with senior Maldives’ Ministers covering Foreign Affairs, Environment and Defence to deepen cooperation on clean energy, maritime security and counterterrorism as the UK and Maldives mark 60 years of diplomatic relations.

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