A 22-year-old man from Ahmedabad has allegedly been cheated of ₹6 lakh on the promise of securing a Canadian work permit. The complainant has approached the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB), alleging that a visa consultant took the money as an advance after assuring him the work permit would be arranged within three months — a promise that was never fulfilled, with the money allegedly never returned either.
How the Deal Was Struck
The complainant, who works as a service engineer with a solar energy company, was looking for an agent to help him obtain a Canadian work visa. According to his complaint, an acquaintance introduced him to a man operating a visa consultancy office in the Sola area. The two met in January 2024, when the consultant allegedly assured the complainant that he could arrange a Canadian work permit.
The consultant reportedly quoted a total fee of ₹20 lakh for the entire process, asking for ₹6 lakh as an advance and telling the complainant that the remaining ₹14 lakh would be paid once he actually reached Canada. Trusting this assurance, the complainant paid ₹6 lakh in cash to the consultant on March 6, 2024.
The Promised Three Months That Never Delivered
After receiving the money, the consultant allegedly issued a receipt from his company's receipt book and collected copies of the complainant's passport along with other documents required for the visa process. He reportedly assured both the complainant and his father that the work permit would be arranged within approximately three months.
However, the promised deadline passed without any visa or work permit being issued. When the complainant and his father followed up, the consultant allegedly sought additional time, claiming that the medical examination and visa processing were still underway. The family reportedly continued waiting, holding onto the assurance that the process would be completed soon.
An Office That Suddenly Closed
As the delay stretched on, the complainant allegedly began demanding either the visa or a refund of the ₹6 lakh. Around September 2024, he visited the consultant's office in Sola but found it closed. The consultant allegedly stopped responding to phone calls after that point. Despite repeated requests from both the complainant and his father for the money to be returned, the ₹6 lakh was allegedly never refunded.
Filing the Complaint
The complainant said he initially submitted an application to the Crime Branch regarding the matter and later filed a formal complaint. Police are now examining the allegations, payment details, the receipt issued by the consultant, and the documents provided for the purported visa process.
Investigators are also likely to verify whether the consultant actually initiated any Canadian work permit application on behalf of the complainant at all, or whether the entire process was fabricated from the start. Another aspect of the inquiry involves determining whether other people may have been approached in a similar manner, and whether additional amounts were allegedly collected from other prospective applicants seeking employment or work permits abroad.
A Growing Concern Around Overseas Job Promises
Fraud involving overseas employment and visa promises has become a genuine concern for people seeking jobs in countries such as Canada. Applicants are often advised to verify the credentials of immigration consultants, check whether the consultancy is legally authorised to provide the services it claims to offer, and insist on written agreements along with proper payment records — steps that could have provided some protection in this case had they been followed more carefully.
In this case, the allegations made by the complainant are yet to be established through investigation. Police are examining the available documents and other evidence before deciding on further action against the accused consultant.
FAQs
Q1. How much money did the complainant allegedly lose in this visa fraud case?
The complainant paid ₹6 lakh in cash as an advance out of a total quoted fee of ₹20 lakh for a Canadian work permit, which was never issued, and the advance was allegedly never refunded.
Q2. What documents did the consultant collect from the complainant?
The consultant allegedly collected copies of the complainant's passport and other documents required for the visa process, along with issuing a receipt from his company's receipt book.
Q3. What should people do to avoid similar visa consultancy fraud?
Applicants are advised to verify the credentials of immigration consultants, confirm whether the consultancy is legally authorised to provide such services, and insist on written agreements along with proper payment records.