Unauthorised websites trying to facilitate issuance of India e-visa through fraudulent means: Govt

New Delhi: Some unauthorised and unrecognised private websites try to intermediate and facilitate issuance of India e-visa through fraudulent means and the government has taken several steps to check it, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said with respect to e-Visas, from time to time, it has come to the notice of the government that some unauthorised and unrecognised private websites try to intermediate and facilitate issuance of India e-visa.

"Some of them also appear similar to official Indian visa website (indianvisaonline.gov.in) and also appear through the search engines. The government of India has taken several steps to minimise such a practice. In this regard, the National Informatics Centre (NIC) has coordinated with Google search engine to ensure that Indian Visa official link appears prominently in the search engine," he said, replying to a written question.

Secondly, Rai said, the Bureau of Immigration (BOI) refers from time to time the list of such unauthorised websites to CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) to disable them from accessing the Indian official visa portal.

Thirdly, the government has advised all Indian Missions and Posts abroad to place an advisory or caution notice on their websites or through social media platforms for the benefit of foreigners applying for Indian visa, he said.

With respect to visa processing at Indian Missions overseas, bulk applications from touts or unauthorised agencies are not allowed or accepted in order to prevent fraudulent practices.

When any information regarding such unauthorised agents comes to the notice of the Indian Missions and Posts abroad, the same is taken up with the local authorities for action, the minister said.

He said visa service providers are engaged by the Indian Missions under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

With respect to such service providers, it is specifically mentioned in the contract and Request for Proposals (RFPs) for tenders that Outsourced Service Providers (OSPs) will properly scrutinise the application forms submitted before forwarding the same to Indian Missions and Posts abroad, he added.