'Zero tolerance to fraud': US embassy cancels 2,000 visa appointments by 'bots' in India

The US Embassy in India cancelled over 2,000 visa applications made by bots after they identified "bad actors" who violated their scheduling policies.

"Consular Team India is canceling about 2000 visa appointments made by bots. We have zero tolerance for agents and fixers that violate our scheduling policies,(sic)" the embassy announced in a post on X on Wednesday.

Reiterating their "zero tolerance to fraud," the embassy declared that they will be cancelling these appointments and suspending the scheduling privileges of the associated accounts.

Reportedly, even though there is usually a long wait for US visa procurement, paying an agent somehow gets the work done quickly.

“We tried to get a visa interview date on our own for our child who had to join an American university last fall but nothing was available in the timeframe to do so. We paid an agent Rs 30,000 and got the same in time,” The Times of India quoted an applicant as saying.

As per TOI, bots are being used by these agents to book appointment dates due to which applicants see all slots blocked when trying on their own.

In January this year, S Jaishankar brought up the long wait for US visa after after his bilateral meeting with US Senator Marco Rubio.

"If it takes 400-odd days of waiting period to get a visa, I don't think the relationship is well served by this. He (Rubio) also noted that point," the EAM said.

Meanwhile, US is witnessing a crackdown against illegal immigrants in the country every since President Donald Trump came to power.

The United States deported over 200 Indian illegal immigrants in February ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington DC for a meeting with President Donald Trump.