British High Commission extends campaign in Punjab, Haryana to create awareness on visa fraud

chandigarh: the british high commission will work with indian authorities and local stakeholders to extend the uk government's campaign to raise awareness about visa scams in punjab and haryana over the coming months.the 'visa fraud ton bacho' campaign, launched in february this year, aims to safeguard indian citizens from the physical, financial, and emotional risks of visa fraud and irregular migration.according to a statement from the high commission on wednesday, the campaign will continue with active partnership from local stakeholders. recognising the positive response, the campaign's reach will now be expanded further across punjab and haryana."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 information for those seeking legal routes to travel to the uk," the statement said.information resources will be created and shared with local authorities and other trusted partners to build a network for tackling visa fraud.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, the uk will continue to protect those vulnerable to visa fraud, he added.deputy head of mission, chandigarh, amandeep grewal said, “we are grateful to our stakeholders for their strong support in making the '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.”the campaign has used social media, posters, and village-level engagement in and around amritsar, ludhiana, jalandhar, and chandigarh to warn people about potential scams while applying for visas. awareness drives have also been conducted in rural areas of punjab, involving village elders and women.