The Indian Consulate in New York has warned the Indian community against using fraudulent travel agents who are overcharging for consulate services and submitting fake documents. Consul General Binaya Pradhan highlighted several instances where agents betrayed people’s trust, charging exorbitant fees for services such as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards, visas, passports and emergency certificates. For instance, agents have charged up to $450 for an emergency certificate that costs just $17.
The consulate serves the northeastern states of the US Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont, where about 2.5 million Indians live, or 40–45% of total Indian immigrants in the US.
Pradhan said applicants do not need to use agents as they can directly approach the consulate for services.
“For the services that we provide at the consulate, you can come directly to us. There is no need to go through any agent and you also have to pay a lot of money,” he said.
The Consulate has found that fake documents relating to identity, residential address and utility bills are submitted by agents on behalf of applicants, often without their knowledge. This not only causes unnecessary delays but also violates Indian rules and puts applicants at risk of legal issues in the US.
The Consulate has found over 140 fake e-Visa websites pretending to be the official website of the Government of India and misleading applicants.
Pradhan advised the community to use only the official website for e-visa services to avoid fraud.
Digital Initiatives and Student Support
To streamline services, the Consulate has implemented digital initiatives, including tools such as ‘Pramit’, ‘Bharti Chatbot’ and a mobile app. It also organises open houses twice a month, giving applicants a chance to meet consulate officials without any prior appointment.
Deputy Consul General Varun Jeff reiterated that there is “absolutely no need” to approach agents for consular services, and applicants can instead use VFS Global, a global visa outsourcing and technology service.
Pradhan said the Consulate has a special focus on students, providing them with internship opportunities, legal and medical information, and encouraging them to register on the Consulate portal for easy communication in case of emergencies.
Regarding OCI cards, Pradhan encouraged members of the Indian community to obtain them as these serve as permanent visas and better connectivity to India.
“We are encouraging members of the Indian community to get OCI cards. The OCI card is a kind of permanent visa. And more than that, it is a better connection with the motherland,” he said.