Kathmandu: A significant visa fraud has come to light in Nepal after eight foreign nationals were discovered to have obtained study visas using forged educational documents from Valmiki Vidyapeeth.
The deception, which managed to mislead both the Ministry of Education and the Department of Immigration, involved a total of ten foreign nationals. While eight had already successfully secured their visas, the scheme was uncovered when the processing of the remaining two applications raised red flags among immigration officials.
According to the Department of Immigration, the visas were initially processed following a recommendation from the Ministry of Education dated June 4, 2026. Based on this endorsement, the department issued study visas to six Chinese nationals, one Korean, and one Russian. A subsequent review of their travel history revealed that these individuals were frequent visitors who had been entering Nepal on tourist visas for several years, with some records showing regular visits dating back seven years.
The breakthrough in the case occurred when officials scrutinized the final two applications and verified the documents with Valmiki Vidyapeeth. The forged letters falsely claimed that the applicants were enrolled in a two-year “Acharya” (Master’s) degree program in Sanskrit Literature. The institution confirmed that no such letters had been issued and that the individuals were not enrolled students, exposing the academic credentials as entirely counterfeit.
In connection with the racket, the Department of Immigration arrested Subodh Shukla, a resident of Birgunj, and a Chinese woman named Wang Jinkaio on June 11. Authorities recovered fake revenue receipts from the Chinese national that had been illegally issued under the name of Nepal Sanskrit University for “Sanskrit Literature training fees.” During interrogation, Shukla confessed to orchestrating similar fraudulent schemes in the past to facilitate the stay of foreign nationals in Nepal through forged recommendations.
Tikaram Dhakal, the Director and Spokesperson for the Department of Immigration, stated that the process to cancel the eight illegally obtained visas has already been initiated. While authorities are currently tracking down the foreigners who secured these visas, the department has warned that they face stiff penalties, including fines, deportation, and potential bans on future entry into Nepal.
Furthermore, the Nepali nationals involved in the racket will face criminal prosecution for the forgery of government documents under the prevailing laws of the land.
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