While many immigrants follow all of the proper steps to obtain visas and legally enter the U.S., in some cases, people may commit fraud in an effort to illegally enter the country because they:

• Would likely be denied visas if they attempted to go through legitimate routes.
• Are attempting to smuggle illegal immigrants into the U.S.
• Are attempting to escape some type of prosecution in their native country
• Are involved in committing other crimes, such as drug trafficking offenses or terrorist operations.

When visa fraud occurs and the U.S. government becomes aware of it, the individual who is alleged to have committed fraud will:

• Receive notice of deportation.
• Have a deportation hearing, at which time he can attempt to defend himself against allegations of visa fraud.
• Be deported if the immigration court rules against him.
• Likely never be able to obtain a legitimate visa to enter the U.S. again.

Types of Visa Fraud

Some of the most common ways in which people can commit visa fraud include by:

• Supplying false or forgery documents when applying for a visa
• Failing to disclose relevant facts about oneself that would make that individual ineligible for a visa – For example, failing to disclose a history of being convicted of violent crimes would qualify as an attempt to commit visa fraud.
• Selling or transferring legitimate visas to other individuals
• Lying about the reasons behind wanting to obtain a visa – For example, this could involve an individual lying about being a student in an effort to fraudulently obtain a student visa.
• Forging or altering visa documents in any way.

The specific U.S. immigration laws related to visa fraud include the following:

• Fraud and misuse of visas – 18 USC 1546
• Making false statements to obtain visas – 18 USC 1001
• Fraud related to a person’s ID or other identification documents – 18 USC 1028
• Bribing public officials in an attempt to fraudulently obtain visas – 18 USC 201
• Conspiracy to defraud the U.S. – 18 USC 371.

The Los Angeles, California Immigration Lawyers at the Hanlon Law Group

At the Hanlon Law Group, P.C., our Los Angeles immigration attorneys have more than 15 years of experience successfully representing clients in various types of immigration cases, including those that involve the most basic immigration applications to those associated with extremely complicated federal court litigation. Our firm offers state-of-the art technology to deliver these services efficiently while also providing each of our clients with old-fashioned personal service. That means you can count on your case progressing as quickly as possible while feeling confident that your Hanlon Law Group lawyer will answer your questions quickly, clearly and honestly.

To learn more about our citizenship, immigration and deportation defense services contact our Los Angeles immigration attorneys today by calling (626) 765-4641 or (866) 489-7612 or by emailing us using the form at the upper right-hand side of the screen. From our office in Pasadena, we serve clients throughout the Los Angeles area, across the state of California and from around the world.

We offer free, confidential initial consultations to provide potential clients with expert advice regarding their immigration law needs. Additionally, we are able to provide immigration legal services in various languages, including in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Bahasa Indonesian, Tagalog and Fukienese.