US Embassy says 43 Ugandans arrested for using forged documents in US visa applications

International Relations Official claim Uganda (national) Date not reported · first reported 17 Mar 2026 Severity: 2/5

James Bloomer, Regional Security Officer at the US Embassy in Kampala, told journalists at the Uganda Media Centre that at least 43 Ugandans were arrested between July 2025 and early 2026 after presenting forged documents when applying for US visas, and that the cases were handed to the Uganda Police Force. Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke urged victims of visa fraud to report to police. The article also notes that the US has introduced a refundable visa bond of 5,000 to 15,000 US dollars for Ugandan visitor-visa applicants under a 12-month pilot.

A national event, not tied to one district.

Official claim: These are the figures given by US Embassy Kampala (Regional Security Officer James Bloomer); they could not be checked independently.

Numbers

43 arrested or detained

Sources

The Independent 17 Mar 2026

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