The United States Department of State has launched a new online portal for reporting suspected sham marriages, fabricated job offers, falsified documents, shell companies and birth tourism.
The new reporting system, announced yesterday, is intended to give members of the public a direct channel to provide information about suspected fraud or misuse of U.S. visas for review and possible enforcement action.
The State Department said visa fraud can take several forms, including the submission of falsified documents or travel plans, marriages arranged primarily to obtain immigration benefits, the use of shell companies and fabricated employment offers.
It also specifically identified schemes involving birth tourism, in which individuals travel to the United States for the purpose of giving birth and obtaining U.S. citizenship for their children.
The department said members of the public had already played a role in helping authorities identify visa fraud.
According to the State Department, tips from members of the public have contributed to the identification and accountability of tens of thousands of people suspected of visa fraud during President Donald Trump’s second term.
The new portal is part of broader fraud detection and prevention activities being conducted by the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs.
The department said the measures are intended to prevent individuals from travelling to the United States through fraudulent means or for unlawful purposes. It said visa fraud could include activities that extend beyond an individual applicant to organised schemes involving other people and entities.
The State Department said consequences for violations can include visa revocation and referral of suspected fraud to law enforcement agencies for further investigation.
The department’s existing fraud guidance also warns applicants about scams by individuals and organisations falsely claiming to provide U.S. government visa services.
It advises people to verify visa information through official U.S. government websites and to be cautious about organisations promising to secure visas or immigration benefits.
The latest initiative comes amid broader efforts by the State Department to expand screening and vetting of visa applicants.
On September 18, the department announced that, effective October 1, online presence reviews would be expanded to additional categories of nonimmigrant visa applicants, including foreign media representatives, USMCA professionals and their dependants.
The State Department is encouraging anyone with information about suspected visa fraud or misuse to submit it through its online reporting portal at travel.state.gov/reportvisafraud.