Passport Fraud
What is passport fraud?
- Forging the signature of a person with parental responsibility for a child, even if that person consents to the child having a passport.
- Failing to identify all persons with parental responsibility for a child.
- Falsely signing as a witness on an application.
The Passport Act of 1967 regulates passport issuing, renewal and fraudulent cases in India. Violating the provisions of section 3, furnishing false information or suppressing material information to obtain a passport or travel document, failing to produce a passport or travel document for inspection, using a passport or travel document issued to another person, or allowing another person to use a passport or travel document issued to you are offences punishable by imprisonment for up to two years or a fine of up to five thousand rupees or both.
Not being a citizen of India and making an application for a passport or obtaining one by suppressing information about their nationality, or holding a forged passport or any travel document are offences punishable by imprisonment for at least one year but not exceeding five years and a fine of at least ten thousand rupees but not exceeding fifty thousand rupees. Abetting any of the above offences will, if the Act is committed as a consequence of the abetment, be punishable with the same penalties as the offence.
Violating any condition of a passport or travel document, any provision of this Act or any rule made thereunder, for which no other punishment is provided, will be punishable by imprisonment for up to three months or a fine of up to five hundred rupees or both. Anyone convicted of an offence under this Act and again convicted of a crime under this Act will be punishable with double the penalty provided for the latter offence.
Passport fraud can have serious consequences and impact an individual’s ability to travel internationally. If you have been a victim of passport fraud, it’s vital to seek legal assistance to protect your rights and ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable for their actions. At Icon Legal Services, we specialise in handling passport fraud cases and have a team of experienced lawyers who can help you navigate the legal process.
We’ll work tirelessly to help you achieve a favourable outcome and put the stress of the situation behind you.