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UK to launch visa fraud prevention campaign in second Indian
state following successful first phase
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Campaign launch is part of visit by Minister , building momentum from
the UK-India trade deal signed this summer
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It comes as Home Secretary 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 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
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, 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 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.
