Home Office cracks down on £100,000 Global Talent visa fraud

The Home Office is revoking visas issued to two Nigerian men who claimed to be fine art photographers. This follows an investigation revealing a sophisticated £100,000 fraud scheme where companies supply fake art portfolios and fabricated evidence to secure Global Talent visas for unqualified applicants. The Home Office described the findings as 'extremely serious' and confirmed the company offering the package was already under investigation.

Wealthy migrants are being offered fraudulent packages to deceive the immigration system. A consultant from iCareer Consultancy UK told an undercover reporter his firm could supply artwork from China and arrange exhibitions, media coverage, and letters of recommendation for a large fee. The 'fully inclusive' package from iCareer costs more than £100,000. The consultant, named Peter, claimed no clients have ever been refused a visa.

iCareer Consultancy UK, based in Canary Wharf, and its sister company ADArt Global Ltd are alleged to supply fake artworks and provide fabricated evidence. The package included up to 15 pieces of art shipped to Britain for about £1,120. Records could be shaped to make the client appear as if they had been working for years. The process would take at least two years.

The financial breakdown of the service was detailed to the undercover reporter.

Peter claimed four clients received visas this year and around ten were waiting. Immigration lawyer Harjap Singh Bhangal stated that helping people pose as artists amounted to a 'sophisticated fraud'. iCareer denied offering visa services, claiming Peter's employment had ended before the meeting and that the described services were not authorised.

Global Talent visa surge fuels fraudulent applications

Applications in the arts and culture category have nearly doubled since 2023. About 6,600 Global Talent visas were granted in 2025. The visa was launched in 2020 to attract scientists, researchers, and creative artists. Applicants are not interviewed and need to prove exceptional talent or promise. Arts Council England endorsed just under half of nearly 3,500 applications it received last year. Peter told the undercover reporter that English was not needed and a career in art was not required for the visa.

Forbes China award used to bolster fraudulent applications

iCareer offered an additional £28,000 package to help win a Forbes-sponsored Chinese art award to strengthen visa applications. The BBC confirmed that the Forbes China Future Artists Awards are genuine and that ADArt, iCareer's sister company, is a sponsor. On social media, Peter claimed the Global Talent visa service in the arts was 'fully inclusive' with 'guaranteed approval'.

Fake reviews and forged evidence exposed

Molara Wood, a Nigerian art critic, discovered her byline was used on fake articles reviewing the work of two Nigerian men, Silva Ndifon and Adanu Emmanuel Okoko, who obtained visas as fine art photographers. She stated she never wrote the reviews and believed the prose and photographs were unworthy of the praise. "There is a real problem whereupon fake articles are being implanted onto newspaper websites using bylines of reputable culture journalists," Wood said.

Other critics reported their names appeared on pieces they did not write. The Nigerian Tribune removed the articles after her complaint, blaming a staff member who uploaded them without permission. One man has an online portfolio that does not match the described work, and the other has almost no visible link to art. Neither man replied to the BBC, and both are thought to be in Britain. After the BBC contacted the Home Office, their visas were being revoked.

Arts Council England said it investigates evidence that looks misleading or fraudulent. The Global Talent route is under review by the Home Office, with the home secretary stating they will take action to stop abuse.