UK asylum racket: PoK migrants pay ₹58 lakh for fake visas, reveals report

PoK migrants are reportedly using fake job docs and paying up to ₹58.5 lakh for UK visas, then applying for asylum, a Telegraph sting has revealed

Migrants from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are reportedly entering the UK on visas obtained using falsified documents and later applying for asylum, according to an undercover investigation by The Daily Telegraph.

 

The report claims some applicants are paying as much as £50,000 (around ₹58.5 lakh) for UK visa applications loaded with fake details. One example uncovered by the investigation involved a job reference letter from a “fake hospital” in Mirpur, submitted as part of an application to the UK Home Office.

 

Fake CVs, false employers and visa success

 

A consultant based in Mirpur, named in the report, allegedly helped forge employment documents for individuals posing as skilled workers. In one instance, an undercover applicant submitted a fabricated CV and reference letter, which ultimately resulted in a successful work visa.

 

 

Reacting to the allegations, the UK Home Office said it had launched an investigation. “Illegal activity will not be tolerated and we will stop at nothing to ensure our immigration rules are respected and enforced,” said a Home Office spokesperson.

 

“We are already taking firm action to disrupt illegal activity when it is found, including suspending licences, pursuing enforcement, and strengthening safeguards to protect the integrity of the immigration system,” the spokesperson added.

 

What the UK immigration white paper says about asylum misuse

 

The report, published on May 12, 2025, noted growing misuse of asylum routes:

 

1. People claiming asylum after entering on valid visas (with no change in circumstances)

2. Some misrepresent their age to access certain services

3. Overall misuse undermines system integrity and public trust.

 

The document outlined proposed measures to restrict misuse:

 

• New legislation aimed at limiting the use of Article 8 of the Human Rights Act by asylum seekers

• Stronger enforcement through e-visas, biometric checks and digital ID to detect overstayers or rule-breakers

• Earlier tracking and deportation of foreign national offenders once convicted, even for minor offences

 

According to Home Office data:

 

• Visa applications dropped by 40 per cent over the past year

• Around 30,000 people with no legal status were removed

• Arrests linked to illegal working rose by 51 per cent

 

New powers are also being introduced to immediately suspend registered immigration advisers and companies suspected of serious abuse.

 

Asylum claims and trends from Pakistan

 

Pakistani nationals currently top the list of asylum claimants in the UK, followed by Afghanistan, Iran and Bangladesh. However, they are not among the largest groups arriving via illegal routes such as small boats.

 

In May 2025, the UK government said it would increase intelligence efforts to track foreign nationals using legal entry channels—like study or work visas—to claim asylum later. “We are building intelligence on the profile of these individuals to identify them earlier and faster,” a Home Office press release said at the time.

 

Official asylum figures show:

 

• Pakistani asylum applications rose 79 per cent in a year, reaching 10,542

• Pakistan and Afghanistan saw a 53 per cent approval rate

• Iran had a 64 per cent grant rate

• Syria (98 per cent), Eritrea (87 per cent), and Sudan (99 per cent) had the highest approval rates

 

Among the 40,000 asylum seekers who entered the UK last year on valid visas:

 

• 16,000 were international students

• 11,500 had work visas

• 9,500 entered as visitors

 

Under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, asylum applicants facing destitution can access financial and housing support, provided they declare all sources of income and assets.