Chandigarh, Aug 6 (PTI) The British High Commission will be working with the Indian authorities and local stakeholders to extend the UK Government’s campaign in a bid to raise awareness about visa scams in Punjab and Haryana over the coming months.
UK ‘Visa Fraud Ton Bacho’ campaign, launched in February this year, Indian citizens from the physical, financial and emotional risks of visa fraud and irregular migration.
The campaign will continue with active partnership from local stakeholders, a statement issued by the high commission said on Wednesday.
Recognising the positive response to the campaign, the British High Commission will be working with the Indian authorities and local stakeholders to extend the campaign’s reach further to areas of Punjab and Haryana over the coming months, the statement added.
“The UK today unveiled a new QR code for its WhatsApp chatbot, making it easier to access advice in an accessible format, in Punjabi. The chatbot provides official UK guidance on identifying common visa scam tactics as well as official guidance for those seeking legal routes to travel to the UK,” it said.
Information resources will be created and shared with local authorities and other trusted stakeholders working with the commission on tackling visa fraud, with the aim of creating a network of partners in the fight against it.
Daniel Sherry, Political Counsellor, British High Commission, said, “We are pleased to be continuing our ‘Visa Fraud Ton Bacho’ campaign in Punjab, making it more accessible with the launch of our WhatsApp chatbot QR code.” Working with partners in Chandigarh and Punjab, and with the Government of India, we will continue to protect those vulnerable to visa fraud, he said.
Deputy Head of Mission, Chandigarh, Amandeep Grewal said, “We are grateful to our stakeholders for their strong support in making ‘Visa Fraud Ton Bacho’ campaign a success.” “Our mission is clear — to protect innocent people from visa fraud. As we expand this campaign across Punjab and Haryana, we will continue raising awareness and promoting safe, legal travel to the UK,” she said.
The campaign conducted awareness programmes on social media, posters along with village level personal engagement in and around Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Chandigarh to make people aware of potential scams while applying for visas.
Engagements have been conducted successfully in rural areas of Punjab, involving village elders and women to spread awareness against visa frauds. PTI SUN OZ OZ
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