Latest news with #BRCs
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
UK replaces passport stickers with eVisas for some: What you need to know if you're planning your travel
The UK Home Office has started digitizing its immigration system, replacing physical visa stickers with electronic visas (eVisas) for various work and other visa routes. Applicants must create a UKVI account to access their eVisa, while employers need to adjust right-to-work policies. This change aims to streamline the process, reduce travel restrictions, and modernize immigration status verification. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Also Read: UK study visa applications witness a sharp rise despite graduate route cuts Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Create a UKVI account Link their current passport to their eVisa Check their account for accuracy Generate and carry an 'S' share code in case their eVisa is not viewable while travelling Verify that new employees have completed all steps in the pre-travel checklist Conduct right-to-work checks online using the eVisa system Guide applicants with dependants on the differing procedures for family members View their visa status and expiry Share their immigration status with landlords or employers using time-bound share codes Update personal and travel document details Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Non-European nationals granted UK entry clearance through work and specific other visa routes now no longer receive a physical visa sticker in their passports. Instead, applicants will be issued an electronic visa, or eVisa , accessible through a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. The move, that kicked off on June 15, is part of the Home Office's plan to fully digitise the UK's immigration to the UK Home Office guidance, this change applies to those applying under the Skilled Worker (including Health and Care), Global Business Mobility, Global Talent, International Sportsperson, Temporary Worker (including Creative Workers and Government Authorised Exchange), Youth Mobility Scheme, and Student visa under these routes will no longer need to hand over their passports at visa application centres for visa vignette placement, reducing travel restrictions and courier delays. They can remain mobile during the processing period, though may still be called for an interview on short with stays under 90 days or dependants of main applicants will continue to receive vignette stickers in their eVisa serves as a digital record of a migrant's immigration status, replacing several physical documents such as biometric residence permits (BRPs), biometric residence cards (BRCs), passport endorsements, and visa vignette stickers. This rollout builds on earlier implementation through the EU Settlement Home Office said, 'Updating your physical document to an eVisa does not affect your immigration status or the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.'Expired BRPs and BRCs are no longer valid for travel. Travellers must ensure their eVisa is linked to a valid passport before entering the UK. If the eVisa is not properly linked, carriers may refuse under 18 must also have individual UKVI accounts, with parents or guardians managing them where who have other physical evidence of indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or indefinite leave to enter (ILE), such as wet ink stamps or vignette stickers, are advised to apply for a no-time-limit (NTL) eVisa. Individuals eligible under the Windrush Scheme or those applying under the EU Settlement Scheme can also receive an Home Office reiterated that, 'Millions have already received their eVisas since 2018 and more categories will follow as we fully transition to digital status.'Applicants are advised to follow guidance carefully, especially before international travel, and to keep both their passport and immigration details updated in the UKVI system.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
UK replaces passport stickers with eVisas for some: What you need to know if you're planning your travel
Live Events You Might Also Like: UK may rethink non-dom inheritance tax as wealthy foreigners exit Create a UKVI account Link their current passport to their eVisa Check their account for accuracy Generate and carry an 'S' share code in case their eVisa is not viewable while travelling Verify that new employees have completed all steps in the pre-travel checklist Conduct right-to-work checks online using the eVisa system Guide applicants with dependants on the differing procedures for family members View their visa status and expiry Share their immigration status with landlords or employers using time-bound share codes Update personal and travel document details You Might Also Like: UK study visa applications witness a sharp rise despite graduate route cuts Non-European nationals granted UK entry clearance through work and specific other visa routes now no longer receive a physical visa sticker in their passports. Instead, applicants will be issued an electronic visa, or eVisa , accessible through a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. The move, that kicked off on June 15, is part of the Home Office's plan to fully digitise the UK's immigration to the UK Home Office guidance, this change applies to those applying under the Skilled Worker (including Health and Care), Global Business Mobility, Global Talent, International Sportsperson, Temporary Worker (including Creative Workers and Government Authorised Exchange), Youth Mobility Scheme, and Student visa under these routes will no longer need to hand over their passports at visa application centres for visa vignette placement, reducing travel restrictions and courier delays. They can remain mobile during the processing period, though may still be called for an interview on short notice.(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)Applicants with stays under 90 days or dependants of main applicants will continue to receive vignette stickers in their eVisa serves as a digital record of a migrant's immigration status, replacing several physical documents such as biometric residence permits (BRPs), biometric residence cards (BRCs), passport endorsements, and visa vignette stickers. This rollout builds on earlier implementation through the EU Settlement Home Office said, 'Updating your physical document to an eVisa does not affect your immigration status or the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.'Expired BRPs and BRCs are no longer valid for travel. Travellers must ensure their eVisa is linked to a valid passport before entering the UK. If the eVisa is not properly linked, carriers may refuse under 18 must also have individual UKVI accounts, with parents or guardians managing them where who have other physical evidence of indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or indefinite leave to enter (ILE), such as wet ink stamps or vignette stickers, are advised to apply for a no-time-limit (NTL) eVisa. Individuals eligible under the Windrush Scheme or those applying under the EU Settlement Scheme can also receive an Home Office reiterated that, 'Millions have already received their eVisas since 2018 and more categories will follow as we fully transition to digital status.'Applicants are advised to follow guidance carefully, especially before international travel, and to keep both their passport and immigration details updated in the UKVI system.
New Indian Express
08-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Delhi Police arrest man for Rs 30.47 crore fraud in foreign trade benefits using forged remittance documents
NEW DELHI: Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has arrested a man for allegedly cheating and forgery to fraudulently obtain trade benefits worth Rs 30.47 crore under the Foreign Trade Policy by submitting fake remittance documents, officials said on Saturday. The case was registered in 2017 after a private bank reported that 467 fake Foreign Inward Remittance Certificates (FIRCs) had been submitted by 18 account holders while processing export documents. 'The FIRCs were dated between 2013, and 2015. Based on these forged FIRCs, the bank issued Bank Realisation Certificates (BRCs) to the account holders. These were then used to claim export benefits from the office of the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT),' a senior police officer said. He added that the FIRCs, involving crores of rupees, were issued in the name of another bank. Under the Foreign Trade Policy, exporters could claim duty drawback and duty credit scrips. The duty credit scrips were issued after payment was received in the exporter's account and BRCs were submitted to DGFT. These scrips were used to pay customs duties and could be transferred. 'The accused, Angad Pal Singh, owned five firms with his father and brother and used forged FIRCs to obtain and sell scrips worth `30.47 crore. He fled abroad and was deported from the US after being arrested by the CBI in another case. He was taken into EOW custody on June 2,' DCP (EOW) Vikram Porwal said.
Indian Express
08-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Rs 30 crore trade benefit fraud: Man deported from US arrested in Delhi
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police has arrested a man in connection with a major cheating and forgery case involving trade benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy, the police said Saturday. Angad Pal Singh, also known as Angad Singh Chandhok, along with his associates, is alleged to have caused a loss of Rs 30.47 crore to the government by submitting forged documents to fraudulently avail export incentives, the police said. The case was registered on January 11, 2017, under sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable securities, wills, and other documents), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code based on a complaint filed by ICICI Bank. The complaint stated that 467 fake foreign inward remittance certificates (FIRCs) were submitted by 18 account holders, representing 17 firms, to the ICICI Bank branch in Naraina during the processing of their export documentation. These forged FIRCs, reportedly issued by Corporation Bank in Bhikaji Cama Place, covered a period from September 26, 2013, to October 21, 2015. Based on these documents, ICICI Bank issued bank realisation certificates (BRCs), which were subsequently used to claim trade benefits from the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). During the investigation of the case, it was found that as per the Foreign Trade Policy, two kinds of benefits used to be given to the exporters: duty drawback and scrips. The goods to be exported outside India used to pass through a Customs depot or port, and duty drawback was directly credited to the exporter's account by the Customs once a consignment was exported. Whereas the office of DGFT extended the scrip, and this could be used at the time of import of food for exemption from duties. Duty credit scrips (DCS) used to be the credits given to the exporters as incentives,' said DCP (Economic Offences Wing) Vikram Porwal. 'These licences/scrips used to be issued when payment against the export was received in the account of the exporter. After receiving payment against the export, the trader/proprietor of the firm used to submit the export documents to the authorised dealer bank, and after processing the documents, the bank used to issue a bank realisation certificate to the exporter. The exporter would thereafter produce the same to the DGFT and apply for the benefits. After going through the documents, the DGFT used to issue licences/scrips. These incentives used to be given to the exporters in the form of import duty credit and not as direct cash benefits. These credits could be used for the payment of Basic Customs duties and cess, and these scrips are transferable,' DCP Porwal said further. According to the police, Angad Pal Singh, along with his father, Surinder Singh, and brother, Harsahib Singh, jointly owned five firms: Kumar Trading Company, National Trader, Trident Overseas India, HSC Exim India, and AHC Auto Spares. He allegedly managed the operations of these firms and conspired with others, including bank employees, to execute the fraud. Following the registration of the case, the accused fled the country but was later deported from the United States and subsequently arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in a separate fraud case. On June 2, the EOW arrested him in the current matter and obtained his police custody. He is currently in judicial custody, the police said. Angad Pal Singh is also accused in another EOW case, registered in 2017. He studied up to Class 12 in Delhi and joined his father's auto spare parts export business. Over time, he extended operations by involving other firms from his family and acquaintances, promising high returns. The investigation has revealed that while forged FIRCs were used to obtain government benefits, no actual foreign remittance was received in their accounts. Three other accused have already been arrested and charge-sheeted in the case. Further investigation is underway.
Hindustan Times
08-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Delhi: 30-year-old arrested for over ₹30 crore import/export fraud
A 30-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly orchestrating a ₹30.47 crore fraud by submitting forged remittance documents to avail export incentives under the Foreign Trade Policy, the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) said on Saturday. The accused, Angad Pal Singh also known as Angad Singh Chandhok, was deported from the United States and arrested on June 2, said deputy commissioner of police (EOW) Vikram Porwal. Singh conspired with a private bank employees to forge more than 460 Foreign Inward Remittance Certificates (FIRCs), which were used to fraudulently claim duty credit scrips — government-issued incentives meant for exporters, said police. 'Singh and his father Surinder Singh and brother Harsahib Singh managed five export firms that used these forged FIRCs to illegally secure trade benefits from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT),' said DCP Porwal. The firms — Kumar Trading Company, National Trader, Trident Overseas India, HSC Exim India, and AHC Auto Spares — allegedly did not receive any legitimate export payments. Police said that the case, registered in 2017 following a complaint from a private bank, involves a complex web of document forgery and financial manipulation. According to investigators, between 2013 and 2015, the private bank's Naraina branch received 467 fraudulent FIRCs purportedly issued by a second private bank's Bhikaji Cama Place branch. These FIRCs falsely claimed foreign remittances for exports that never occurred, police said. According to police, based on these documents, the first private bank issued Bank Realisation Certificates (BRCs), which the accused firms used to obtain Duty Credit Scrips from DGFT. The scrips, which are tradable, allow importers to offset customs duties. 'This fraud was not just limited to paper forgery. The accused opened accounts at the first private bank and processed fake export documentation with alleged assistance from within the bank,' Porwal said, adding that the proceeds from the sale of these scrips were never backed by real exports. Singh, a class 12 pass-out from Delhi, reportedly learned the ropes of the export-import business from his father, an auto parts trader. He later roped in his friends and relatives to set up additional shell firms under the promise of high returns, police said. Three co-accused have already been arrested and charge-sheeted in the case, police added. Singh was sent to judicial custody and is also linked to another fraud case under investigation by EOW. Police said further inquiries are underway to identify the full scale of the alleged conspiracy and potential involvement of bank officials.
