Uganda Police probe visa applicants over forgery at US embassy

KAMPALA - The United States of America (US) embassy on Tuesday confirmed three Ugandan students who were applying for visa to study were arrested with forged birth certificates, university diplomas, exam results, and university transcripts.

In a tweet on their X-platform (formerly Twitter), the embassy noted that, “last week, the US embassy assisted Ugandan law enforcement to arrest three student visa applicants who had forged birth certificates, university diplomas, exam results, and university transcripts. Protect your future travel opportunities, don’t commit fraud.”

On Tuesday, Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire confirmed the suspects were handed over to Kabalagala Police Station.

“They were handed over to Kabalagala police. Let me follow up with them, I will update you,” he said without disclosing the identities. 

The revelation by the US  mission in Kampala comes in the wake of a tweet on July 3, 2025, in which the embassy said, “Attention US visa applicants: If you submit fake documents with your U.S. visa application, you are committing fraud and risking your future. We stay one step ahead of document vendors, and we adapt to emerging threats. Protect your future travel opportunities, tell the truth and do not provide fake documents.”

The US embassy in a public notice shared on the X-platform on June 24, 2025, noted that, “Starting now, if you’re applying for a student visa (F, M, or J category visa), make sure your social media accounts are set to public. This helps with the identity and admissibility checks required by U.S. law.”

The embassy warned that “not including this info could result in a visa denial or make you ineligible for future visas.  Be honest, double check your application, and make sure everything is accurate before submitting!”

In a statement, a spokesperson for the US State Department on Tuesday said those who keep their social media accounts private may be deemed as trying to hide their activity.
“They said officials had been instructed to expand the social media vetting of applicants and search for "any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States".

Luke Owoyesigyire

 
Who will be affected?

The new guidelines will affect all applicants who apply for F visas, which are primarily used by students.

Applicants for the M visas, used for vocational students and those applying for J visas, used by exchange students, will also be affected, a State Department spokesperson said.

In May this year, a state department directive ordered US embassies globally to immediately stop scheduling visa interviews for foreign students while it prepares to implement expanded social media screening for all international visa applicants.

The state department noted that while interview appointments that were already scheduled can proceed. The announcement sparked panic among students who had not yet secured interviews.

The directive came amid a series of recent policy shifts targeting international students at US universities. US President Donald Trump administration issued new measures targeting Chinese students, announcing it would focus on the visas of those studying in “critical fields” and of students with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, and implement heightened scrutiny for all future applicants from China and Hong Kong.

The Department of Homeland Security in May also halted Harvard University from enrolling international students, forcing the university’s international student body to either transfer or leave the country.

The White House said the proclamation against international students coming to the US to study at Harvard was for national security purposes, because Harvard wasn’t properly vetting incoming scholars from other countries.

However, Judge Allison Burroughs of the US District Court on Monday indefinitely blocked a recent attempt by President Trump to deprive Harvard University of its ability to bring thousands of international students to its campus.

The Judge said, Trump’s recent presidential proclamation was a violation of the university’s constitutional protections, and part of a retaliatory campaign the Trump administration has waged.

“This case is about core constitutional rights that must be safeguarded: freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of speech, each of which is a pillar of a functioning democracy and an essential hedge against authoritarianism,” Burroughs stated in her 44-page ruling.