MANILA, Philippines — The United States Embassy in the Philippines warned Filipino visa applicants against the use of fraudulent documents and misrepresentation.
This comes after the US State Department said it would ramp up broader global immigration enforcement measures. They previously said they plan to revoke the visas of 200,000 foreigners who applied for asylum or foreigners who came to the country for tourism or business but want to prolong their stay by applying for asylum.
In a statement on Saturday, the embassy said they have a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding immigration fraud.
"We take visa fraud seriously. Recently, the US Embassy notified Philippine law enforcement about visa fraud resulting in the arrest of an applicant who used fake documents," the embassy revealed.
“Using fake documents or misrepresenting facts can result in a lifetime ban from entering the United States as well as criminal prosecution and arrest. No secrets, no exceptions, no tolerance for fraud,” they added.
The U.S. State Department said obtaining a visa in order to seek asylum is fraud, which is grounds for visa revocation.
