Migrants Bypassing UK Border Controls with Sophisticated Forgery Scam

Alarming investigation uncovers a widespread scheme allowing Pakistani migrants to enter Britain using falsified visa documents, exposing critical weaknesses in the UK's immigration system.

A new exposé reveals a shocking breach in UK border security, with Pakistani migrants reportedly paying tens of thousands of pounds for forged visa documents that are being accepted by the Home Office despite glaring inaccuracies. This illicit trade is being openly advertised by "consultants" who boast about the ease of exploiting loopholes in the British immigration system.

The Telegraph's investigation unearthed a network operating out of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, led by Syed Kamran Haider, CEO of Mirpur Visa Consultant (MVC). Haider openly promotes his services online, claiming a 98% success rate in securing UK entry within three months for his clients.

One such falsified application, obtained by The Telegraph, included a job reference from a non-existent "Riaz International Hospital" filled with grammatical errors and nonsensical job descriptions. The genuine Dr. Riaz Ahmed, chief executive of the legitimate Riaz Hospital Mirpur, confirmed the document was a "bogus certificate" lacking official seals and legitimate signatures.

A Lucrative and Exploited System

The investigation highlights how these consultants charge exorbitant fees, with UK visa support starting at £32,700. Additional costs include fees for "file-making," creating fake bank statements (£2,615), and even a small charge for an initial video consultation. MVC's services also extend to providing fabricated CVs and bank statements, essential for meeting visa eligibility criteria.

The Telegraph successfully traced a skilled worker visa granted in 2023 based on MVC-produced fake documents, allowing the individual to enter and remain in the UK. This exposes a significant loophole: migrants entering on work visas can claim asylum before their visa expires, retaining their right to work while their asylum case is processed – a lengthy procedure given the current backlog.

Immigration lawyer Harjap Bhangal emphasized that Pakistanis often choose this visa route over dangerous small boat crossings, noting they are a major group who enter on visas and do not return. Government data from last year shows 10,542 asylum applications from Pakistanis, an 80% increase from the previous year, despite them not being among the top 10 nationalities arriving by small boats.

Exploiting Asylum Loopholes and Economic Disparity

Haider's social media presence includes numerous videos detailing various visa loopholes for countries across Europe and Canada. He even promotes a more affordable UK student visa option, suggesting applicants can obtain a nursing diploma without the required IELTS English proficiency test for £10,500 to £12,000, with the aim of converting it to a work permit upon arrival. However, these conversions are not guaranteed.

The investigation also revealed that once in the UK, some individuals exhaust their options and then submit second, often fake, asylum applications to the European Union to extend their stay in Britain. Bhangal described these consultants as "selling a dream" and a "sophisticated scam" to individuals desperate to leave Pakistan, where the GDP per capita is significantly lower than in the UK.

This deeply concerning trend raises serious questions for the UK government and the Home Office, whose processes Bhangal describes as "broken" and "easy to manipulate." While Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's government has focused on reducing net migration, including new laws requiring skilled workers to have a degree, this investigation suggests the current system is failing to prevent significant "backdoor" entry into the country.

The Telegraph has reached out to both the Home Office and Mr. Haider for comment on these findings.