VZCZCXRO4765
RR RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHNEH
DE RUEHBI #0464 3480310
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140310Z DEC 09
FM AMCONSUL MUMBAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7617
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 8829
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 2168
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 1955
RUEHNEH/AMCONSUL HYDERABAD 0061
RUEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 2851

UNCLAS MUMBAI 000464 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR CA/FPP JILL NYSTROM; DHS FOR CIS/FDNS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS CPAS CMGT ASEC IN KFRD
SUBJECT: O BOLLYWOOD!  O VISAS IN MUMBAI SHOW LOW FRAUD 
 
REF: A) MUMBAI 0293, B) 08 CHENNAI 00091, C) 09 CHENNAI 173, D) 09 NEW DELHI 1299 
 
¶1. Summary: As home to one of the largest entertainment 
industries in the world, Mumbai sends many Bollywood film stars 
and production crews to the United States on O1 and O2 visas. 
Due to recent fraud issues with P3 visa holders and B1 
applicants associated with the entertainment industry, Mumbai 
conducted an O2 visa validity study for CY2008. The study found 
that O2 travelers have a low overstay rate of 1.6%. Site visits 
to major Indian production houses and no evidence of fraud for 
O2 applicants further suggests that most entertainment companies 
in Mumbai do not intend to misuse their U.S. visas. END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
RECENT FRAUD SCAMS RAISE CONCERN ABOUT INDIAN ENTERTAINTMENT 
INDUSTRY 
 
¶2. Recent fraud issues with P3 and B1/B2 visa applicants in our 
consular district and within India raised concern about whether 
similar fraud is occurring among O1 and O2 visa holders. In June 
2009, Mumbai reported recent incidents of high risk P3 groups 
misusing their visas for human trafficking (reftel A). Chennai's 
FPU investigation busted a visa fraud racket of famous Tamil 
actors and industry associates personally assisting almost two 
hundred unknown "producers" to obtain U.S. visas (reftel B). 
 
 
VALIDATION RESULTS 
 
¶3. According to a validation study of O visa applications in 
CY2008, Mumbai has a high approval rate of 88% for O2 
applicants. Of the 379 O2's that travelled to the United States, 
ADIS records suggest 55 did not return. However, Post found that 
twenty did return after checking case notes entered when they 
personally returned to the Consulate for physical cancellation 
of their visas. Twenty-nine of the outstanding O2 visas are 
still valid for travel to the United States. Although there were 
only six unresolved cases - showing a low overstay rate of 1.6%- 
some O2's still jumped ship. In this study, production boys, a 
valet, and fashion designer did not return from the U.S. 
 
 
SITE VISITS IMPROVE ADJUDICATION TECHNIQUES 
 
¶4. To enhance their interview strategies, ConOffs paid site 
visits to two major film production companies. ConOffs met with 
the CEO of Dharma Productions, Apoorva Mehta, who said he 
carefully reviews each member of the film crew before they apply 
for their visas to the U.S. He further stated that while the 
company does not take away employees' passports, it keeps close 
track of the crews' passports and whereabouts whenever the film 
crew travels to the United States. Upon returning to India, the 
company immediately submits their film crews' passports to the 
Consulate for verification. 
 
 
¶5. ConOffs visited the set of "My Name is Khan" and met with 
Bollywood actors, the director and choreographer to enhance 
their understanding of the film industry. Film production teams 
often take between 40-80 people to the United States and include 
production and camera assistants, lighting assistants, sound 
engineers, and personal staff of the actors. 
 
 
¶6. COMMENT: Unlike some P3 visa holders from the entertainment 
industry, O2 visa holders appear to be strong, well qualified 
applicants. They have a sound record of using U.S. visas for 
their intended purpose. Given the successful results of this 
study, Post will continue to monitor O visa holders. If results 
continue to show a low overstay rate compared to other visa 
categories, it might be beneficial to consider the O visa 
category in the Business Executive Program (BEP) program. By 
extending the BEP program to larger production companies with a 
high volume of O1 and O2 applications, fraud efforts could be 
focused on scrutinizing lesser companies or infrequent travelers 
applying under P and O visa categories. END COMMENT. 
 
FOLMSBEE