Every year, the U.S. Diversity Visa (DV) lottery fuels dreams of a new life for thousands of Nepalis. For some, that dream turns into a shortcut—and increasingly, a criminal case. In the latest crackdown on a trend that has plagued the country for years, police in Kathmandu have arrested seven individuals accused of producing and using fake high school certificates to apply for the DV program.
The most recent case came to light when the National Examination Board flagged a high school certificate submitted by 19-year-old Kiran Singh Thakuri. The document, intended to secure a green card, was found to be completely fabricated. The investigation revealed a network of “fixers” operating across the country who allegedly specialize in manufacturing academic credentials for applicants who fail to meet the DV lottery’s educational requirements.
Those arrested include 19-year-old Thakuri, along with 40-year-old Anil Sharma of Parbat, 34-year-old Laxman Basnet of Kathmandu, 42-year-old Keshav Phuyal of Nuwakot, and Vishnu Pandey of Nuwakot. According to police, 43-year-old Deepa Lawati of Kathmandu and 52-year-old Shobhakhar Khanal of Gulmi have also been taken into custody.
Police Superintendent Rameshwar Karki said all seven suspects were handed over to the District Police Range for legal action. “The investigation shows that several DV applicants who lack the minimum educational qualifications often resort to fake certificates to meet visa requirements,” he said.
This is not the first time such cases have surfaced. Over the past several years, the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu has repeatedly alerted Nepali authorities about DV applicants presenting suspicious documents.
In September 2024, four individuals—including a schoolteacher and a government employee—were arrested near the embassy with counterfeit Secondary Education Examination (SEE) and Grade 12 certificates. Earlier that same year, police arrested ten more suspects involved in what investigators described as a “well-organized” document forgery network.
In September 2022, nine people were detained for submitting fake 10+2 academic transcripts in support of their E-DV 2021 visa applications. Similar arrests occurred in 2021 and as early as 2019, when 26-year-old DV applicant Nikhil Parajuli of Chitwan was arrested for presenting a forged Grade 12 certificate.
Police investigations show that some applicants pay as much as $1,000 to $1,500 for counterfeit certificates, often facilitated by small-scale document forgers operating in Kathmandu and other cities. For many, the gamble ends before the visa interview even begins, with embassy officials and police uncovering the fraud.
The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu has grown increasingly vocal about the issue. In a recent public warning, it stated: “Consular officers are familiar with the latest patterns and techniques of fraud and forged documents. If you provide false information or submit fake papers, you will be permanently barred from entering the United States and could face criminal prosecution.”
The embassy has also tightened document screening procedures for all visa categories—immigrant, non-immigrant, and employment-based—after detecting a rise in false documentation. Officials have reported multiple instances of DV and green card recipients later facing deportation or denial of U.S. citizenship for concealing or misrepresenting their educational background or marital status.
Despite years of arrests and repeated embassy warnings, fake educational certificates continue to lure some Nepalis toward quick and ultimately self-destructive solutions. Police say each case ends the same way: with broken dreams, a criminal record, and a lifetime ban from entering the country many hoped to call home.
The number of Nepalis receiving U.S. green cards through the DV lottery is among the highest in the world. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), more than 225,000 Nepalis have obtained green cards, including over 60,000 through the Diversity Visa program.
According to the U.S. State Department, 3,933 Nepalis have been selected to move forward in the visa process for the DV-2026 program. These selections were made from a global pool of 20,822,624 eligible entries submitted during the 37-day application period from October 2 to November 7, 2024. Nepal currently ranks third in Asia for the highest number of selectees, trailing only Afghanistan with 4,200 and Iran with 4,137. Globally, the highest numbers of selectees were recorded in Egypt (5,527), Russia (5,510), and Algeria (5,457).
To ensure that no single country receives more than seven percent of the available visas, the total number is distributed across six geographic regions.
The State Department selected approximately 129,516 potential applicants worldwide—significantly more than the number of visas available. This deliberate “over-selection” accounts for applicants who fail to complete the process or are found ineligible during interviews.
For the DV-2026 cycle, winners must obtain their visas between October 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026. During interviews, primary applicants must provide proof of a high school education or its equivalent, or demonstrate at least two years of qualifying work experience within the past five years.
Suraj Ghimire
View More PostsSuraj Ghimire is a Nepali journalist based in Kathmandu. He focuses on political, social, migration, and international issues. He has also worked with various national television networks in Nepal.
