Delhi Police’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport unit announced on 3 January 2026 that it had arrested more than 130 people—including travel agents, document forgers and so-called ‘facilitators’—suspected of running an extensive visa and passport counterfeiting racket during 2025. Investigators said the syndicate produced fake employment letters, bank statements and invitation letters that were used to secure Schengen, U.K. and Gulf work visas for clients charged up to ₹8 lakh each.
In a departure from previous practice, the airport unit teamed up with the economic-offences wing to pursue the money trail. Over 100 bank accounts have been frozen and attachment proceedings have been launched against several properties allegedly purchased with illicit profits. Detectives also obtained 140 Look-Out Circulars to prevent key suspects from fleeing India, and re-arrested 119 proclaimed offenders in decade-old immigration cases.
The crackdown reflects mounting pressure on India to curb document fraud after a string of high-profile asylum claims abroad cast a spotlight on ‘agent culture’. European and North-American missions have already tightened interview scrutiny for Indian applicants; mobility advisers warn that genuine travellers may face longer processing times while consulates recalibrate risk profiles.
![Delhi Airport police smash visa-passport fraud ring; 130 agents arrested, assets frozen]()
Legitimate travellers hoping to sidestep these risks can simplify the process by using VisaHQ, an independent visa specialist that liaises directly with embassies and consulates. Its India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) offers up-to-date checklists, document pre-screening and real-time application tracking, helping applicants submit accurate information and avoid the pitfalls now under heightened scrutiny.
For corporates, the news is both a relief and a warning: while the clean-up should improve India’s reputation in the long term, background-verification vendors and relocation firms must redouble due-diligence on third-party sub-agents. Organisations sponsoring short-term business visas are urged to audit invitation-letter workflows and ensure that employee data cannot be reused in fraudulent applications.
Delhi Police said more joint operations with cyber-crime units are planned, targeting Telegram and WhatsApp groups that advertise ‘same-day visas’. Travellers are advised to rely only on official portals and authorised visa-processing partners to avoid becoming collateral damage in future enforcement drives.
In a departure from previous practice, the airport unit teamed up with the economic-offences wing to pursue the money trail. Over 100 bank accounts have been frozen and attachment proceedings have been launched against several properties allegedly purchased with illicit profits. Detectives also obtained 140 Look-Out Circulars to prevent key suspects from fleeing India, and re-arrested 119 proclaimed offenders in decade-old immigration cases.
The crackdown reflects mounting pressure on India to curb document fraud after a string of high-profile asylum claims abroad cast a spotlight on ‘agent culture’. European and North-American missions have already tightened interview scrutiny for Indian applicants; mobility advisers warn that genuine travellers may face longer processing times while consulates recalibrate risk profiles.
Legitimate travellers hoping to sidestep these risks can simplify the process by using VisaHQ, an independent visa specialist that liaises directly with embassies and consulates. Its India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) offers up-to-date checklists, document pre-screening and real-time application tracking, helping applicants submit accurate information and avoid the pitfalls now under heightened scrutiny.
For corporates, the news is both a relief and a warning: while the clean-up should improve India’s reputation in the long term, background-verification vendors and relocation firms must redouble due-diligence on third-party sub-agents. Organisations sponsoring short-term business visas are urged to audit invitation-letter workflows and ensure that employee data cannot be reused in fraudulent applications.
Delhi Police said more joint operations with cyber-crime units are planned, targeting Telegram and WhatsApp groups that advertise ‘same-day visas’. Travellers are advised to rely only on official portals and authorised visa-processing partners to avoid becoming collateral damage in future enforcement drives.
