Gandhinagar’s Infocity police on 27 April registered an FIR alleging a ₹3.4 crore (£315,000) fraud involving fake UK work-permit visas. According to the complaint, a local visa-consultancy owner forwarded 33 client applications – and substantial fees – to two intermediaries who claimed contacts in British logistics, healthcare and hospitality sectors. When promised permits failed to materialise, applicants discovered the Certificates of Sponsorship were forged. The case is India’s largest individual work-visa scam so far in 2026 and reflects a surge in post-pandemic demand for UK skilled routes such as the Health & Care Worker and Skilled-Worker visas. Cyber-crime officers say fraudsters exploit lengthy official processing times by offering “express slots” and forged documents.
![₹3.4 Crore UK Work-Visa Scam Exposed in Gujarat; 33 Applicants Defrauded]()
Visa seekers who want to sidestep such risks can turn to VisaHQ, whose Indian platform (https://www.visahq.com/india/) provides verified visa information, document pre-screening and direct submission pathways to official consulates, ensuring applicants stay clear of unlicensed brokers and forged paperwork.
For mobility managers the incident is a cautionary tale: outsource only to registered OISC-authorised advisers and insist on direct payment of Home Office fees. Employers should run due diligence on third-party recruiters in Tier-2 destinations and educate prospective assignees on red flags (cash payments, unverifiable sponsors, promises of guaranteed jobs). The UK High Commission reiterated that genuine work permits are issued electronically through the Visa 4 UK portal and can be cross-verified by QR code. Victims have been advised to file restitution claims under India’s new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions on organised economic offences.
Visa seekers who want to sidestep such risks can turn to VisaHQ, whose Indian platform (https://www.visahq.com/india/) provides verified visa information, document pre-screening and direct submission pathways to official consulates, ensuring applicants stay clear of unlicensed brokers and forged paperwork.
For mobility managers the incident is a cautionary tale: outsource only to registered OISC-authorised advisers and insist on direct payment of Home Office fees. Employers should run due diligence on third-party recruiters in Tier-2 destinations and educate prospective assignees on red flags (cash payments, unverifiable sponsors, promises of guaranteed jobs). The UK High Commission reiterated that genuine work permits are issued electronically through the Visa 4 UK portal and can be cross-verified by QR code. Victims have been advised to file restitution claims under India’s new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions on organised economic offences.
