Indian Students Caught Using Fake Degrees for US, UK Visas

Indian students are increasingly resorting to fake credentials to secure visas for the US and UK. This trend has been exacerbated by stricter visa regulations under the Trump administration, which cites security concerns. The Bureau of Immigration (BoI) at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport recently uncovered a scheme involving students using falsified documents to obtain visas.

In early June, BoI officials intercepted four students at the airport who had successfully passed visa interviews with fraudulent degrees. These degrees were often sourced from questionable educational institutions. The deception was only discovered during additional checks conducted by BoI staff before departure.

Fake Degrees and Visa Fraud

The first case emerged on June 1 when Gopal Reddy, a student from Nalgonda district, admitted his degree was fake. Reddy had previously traveled to the US on a student visa with a forged BSc degree from Madurai Kamaraj University. He enrolled at Webster University in Missouri in September 2023 but returned to India after 15 months for personal reasons.

In 2024, Reddy attempted to return to the US but was deported from Dallas airport due to an inactive Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record. Upon reaching RGIA, BoI officials questioned him and discovered his degree was counterfeit. Reddy revealed he obtained the certificate through Katoju Ashok, an agent in Vanasthalipuram.

Educational Consultants Under Scrutiny

The BoI arrested both Gopal and Ashok, highlighting the role of educational consultants in facilitating fake degrees and securing visas for the US and UK. Following this revelation, BoI intensified scrutiny and found three more students heading to the UK with forged documents.

On June 9, Mohammad Shahabazuddin was caught with a fake BCom degree from Acharya Nagarjuna University. His Intermediate and BTech certificates were also forged. Shahabazuddin confessed he bought a fake SSC certificate from Yakub in Hyderabad for Rs 1.5 lakh and fabricated others using software.

Further Arrests and Investigations

The following day, Mohammed Azhar Hussain from Seetharampuram Miryalguda was apprehended while boarding a flight to the UK. He admitted using fake certificates and a job certificate provided by Bharat from Emerge Migration Overseas Educational Consultancy in Miryalguda.

On June 12, Srikanth Marthala, aged 26, was intercepted with a fake BTech certificate from Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation. He disclosed that he acquired it by paying Rs 40,000 to an agent based in Guntur.

This series of incidents underscores the growing issue of fraudulent documentation among Indian students seeking education abroad. It highlights the need for stringent verification processes to prevent such frauds and ensure genuine students can pursue their studies without hindrance.