Nepali National Caught at Mumbai Airport with Fake Schengen Visa in Attempt to Enter Europe

A Nepali national, identified as Chaudhary, was apprehended at Mumbai International Airport on May 13 for attempting to travel to Europe using a forged Schengen visa. According to officials quoted by the Free Press Journal, Chaudhary intended to settle in Europe and had secured the counterfeit visa through an agent in Nepal.

Chaudhary’s travel itinerary included a flight from Mumbai to Doha, followed by a connection to Greece. However, during the pre-boarding immigration check, officers noticed discrepancies in his documents. The passport lacked essential security features, and the visa appeared to be printed on low-quality paper.

Suspicious of forgery, the immigration officer escalated the matter to a senior official. Upon further inspection under UV light, it was confirmed that the passport did not contain the necessary embedded security elements, and the visa was deemed fraudulent. Greek consular authorities later confirmed that the visa was never issued by them.

Authorities have since charged Chaudhary under the Indian Passport Act and applicable provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (India's new criminal code).

Rise in Fake Visa Cases Among Migrant Workers

The incident highlights a growing trend of fake visa usage among labor-class migrants attempting to travel abroad, particularly to Europe and the Gulf. In the past week alone, Sahar Police registered 14 FIRs against 18 individuals for presenting counterfeit passports or visas while trying to fly to Middle Eastern countries.

The majority of the accused were migrants from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, reportedly seeking job opportunities abroad. However, authorities noted that a small number of individuals involved had links to criminal activities.

Reported dates of these cases include:

May 12 & 13 – 2 cases

May 14 – 3 cases

May 15 – 5 cases

May 16 & 17 – 1 case each

This growing concern underscores the vulnerability of job seekers to visa fraud schemes.

International Case: Fake Schengen Visa Scam in Italy

This isn’t an isolated incident. In March 2025, Italian police uncovered a separate fraud operation involving fake Schengen visas. Two suspects were accused of deceiving a victim into paying €16,000 for a fraudulent visa, demonstrating the global scale of this issue.