**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of External Affairs addressed the Lok Sabha on 05/12/2025 regarding measures against illegal migration and visa fraud targeting Indian citizens. The government prioritizes the safety and security of Indian nationals seeking employment abroad and has implemented several initiatives. The focus includes curbing illegal migration syndicates, enhancing coordination between authorities, and promoting safe and legal migration.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Government Priorities:**
* Highest priority is given to the safety, security, and well-being of Indian nationals proceeding for employment abroad.
* **Addressing Illegal Activities:**
* Reports of illegal migration syndicates and visa fraud are referred to State police for investigation and prosecution under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and other legislation.
* The government takes action against illegal recruiting agents in association with the Ministry of Home Affairs and State Police authorities.
* **Preventative Measures and Awareness:**
* Regular advisories caution Indian nationals against fraudulent job offers and unauthorized recruiting agents, emphasizing verification of credentials through Indian Missions/Posts abroad.
* The eMigrate platform has been enhanced, creating a unified digital ecosystem for recruiting agents, foreign employers, and emigrants.
* The Ministry issues advisories through the eMigrate portal, social media, and other means about the risks of fake job rackets.
* A list of unregistered agents is available on the eMigrate portal.
* Awareness campaigns on safe and legal migration are conducted through workshops, trainings, information sessions, and digital campaigns across the country.
* **Stakeholder Education:**
* Workshops and trainings are held for media groups, police officials, law enforcement agencies, local administration, aspiring recruiting agents, entrepreneurs, and the general public.
* Awareness is raised on emigration regulations, schemes like Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY), Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT), and the eMigrate portal.
* Job seekers are advised to verify the antecedents of Recruiting Agents before accepting employment offers.
**Impact Analysis**
**Impact on Indian Nationals Seeking Employment Abroad**
* *Impact:* Provided awareness and precautions against fraudulent job offers and illegal recruiting. Increased access to verified information. Increased protection through legal channels for addressing grievances.
* *Action Required:* Verify employment credentials through Indian Missions/Posts. Use the eMigrate platform. Verify the antecedents of Recruiting Agents.
**Impact on Law Enforcement Agencies**
* *Impact:* Enhanced coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs for dismantling illegal recruitment networks and prosecuting offenders.
* *Action Required:* Investigate and prosecute illegal migration and visa fraud cases under the relevant legal provisions.
**Impact on Recruiting Agents**
* *Impact:* Increased scrutiny and regulation of recruitment practices. Registered recruiting agents may benefit from enhanced legitimacy through the eMigrate platform.
* *Action Required:* Ensure compliance with regulations and promote safe and legal migration practices.
**Impact on Indian Embassies**
* *Impact:* Required to issue advisories.
* *Action Required:* Issue advisories to Indian nationals.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of External Affairs: The primary ministry addressing concerns related to illegal migration and visa fraud.
eMigrate portal: A digital platform that the government enhances and uses to disseminate information, manage emigration, and combat fraud.
Bhartiaya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS): Relevant legal provisions used to prosecute illegal migration and visa fraud.
Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY): Scheme beneficial for emigrants
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 1074
ANSWERED ON- 05/12/2025
MEASURES AGAINST ILLEGAL MIGRATION AND VISA FRAUD
1074. SHRI SASIKANTH SENTHIL
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state :-
(a) whether the Government has taken steps to curb illegal
migration syndicates and visa fraud cases targeting Indian citizens,
particularly in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, in view of recent
MEA advisories on countries such as Iran;
(b) if so, the coordination mechanisms established between the
Ministry, State Governments, and law enforcement agencies to
dismantle illegal recruitment networks and prevent fraudulent
overseas employment practices;
(c) the initiatives undertaken, including awareness campaigns,
workshops, and digital platforms such as the e-Migrate portal, to
promote safe and legal migration; and
1(d) the outcomes achieved and future measures proposed to
strengthen border controls, monitor migration patterns and enhance
cooperation with international agencies to protect Indian migrants
abroad?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a to d) Government accords highest priority to the safety, security
and well-being of Indian nationals proceeding for employment
abroad. As and when reports of illegal migration syndicates and visa
fraud cases as well as complaints against illegal agents/dubious
firms luring Indian youth in false recruitment offers through various
channels are received, such matters are referred to the State police
for investigation and prosecution under the relevant legal provisions
of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and other legislation in place
including the ones enacted by some State Governments.
2Government of India has taken multiple steps to prevent such
incidents. It has issued regular advisories cautioning Indian
nationals against fraudulent job offers and unauthorized recruiting
agents and emphasized the need to verify employment credentials
through Indian Missions/Posts abroad in the respective countries.
Government of India has also enhanced the eMigrate platform, which
brings together recruiting agents, foreign employers, and emigrants
into a unified digital ecosystem. In the cyber domain, action is also
taken against illegal recruiting agents in association with the
Ministry of Home Affairs and State Police authorities. Requests to
take down social media posts of illegal Recruiting Agents from all
over India have been regularly shared with the concerned
authorities.
Ministry also issues advisories through eMigrate portal, social media
handles and other modes of publicity about the perils of fake job
rackets and ways to prevent the same. A list of unregistered agents
in the country has also been notified on the eMigrate portal. The
awareness campaign on safe and legal migration through eMigrate
3portal is carried out by the Ministry across the country from time to
time by conducting workshops, trainings, information sessions,
digital campaigns for media groups, police officials and law
enforcement agencies, local administration, aspiring recruiting
agents, entrepreneurs and general public. During these sessions
awareness on emigration regulations, schemes beneficial for
emigrants like Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY), Pre-Departure
Orientation Training (PDOT), eMigrate portal and various advisories
issued by Indian Embassies are brought to the notice of all
stakeholders to job seekers, and advise them to verify all
antecedents of Recruiting Agents before accepting any kind of
employment offer and not be enticed and entrapped in the fraudulent
job offers.
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