US Visa Warning: Theft Leads to Revocation
Theft or Assault in US Could Lead to Visa Revocation and Future Ineligibility, Advisory States
- US Embassy warns: Assault, theft, or burglary can lead to visa revocation and future ineligibility.
- Advisory follows an Indian woman’s alleged shoplifting of Rs 1.1 lakh from a Target in Illinois.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 17th July: The US Embassy in India has issued a stern visa warning, emphasizing that engaging in assault, theft, or burglary within the United States can result in immediate visa revocation and render individuals ineligible for future US visas. This advisory comes in the wake of a highly publicized incident where an Indian woman was allegedly caught attempting to steal items worth Rs 1.1 lakh ($1,300) from a Target store in Illinois.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the US Embassy in India stated, “Committing assault, theft, or burglary in the United States won’t just cause you legal issues – it could lead to your visa being revoked and make you ineligible for future US visas. The United States values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all US laws.”
Committing assault, theft, or burglary in the United States won’t just cause you legal issues – it could lead to your visa being revoked and make you ineligible for future U.S. visas. The United States values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all U.S. laws. pic.twitter.com/MYU6tx83Zh
— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) July 16, 2025
The embassy stressed that such actions could severely impact one’s ability to re-enter the US.
The Illinois Incident and Legal Ramifications
The advisory follows a video, widely circulated online, which appears to be police bodycam footage of the incident that occurred on May 1, 2025. In the video, a Target employee confronts an Indian woman, accusing her of spending over seven hours in the store, meticulously collecting items, and then trying to exit without payment. The staffer stated, “We saw this woman roaming around the store for the last 7 hours. She was picking up items, checking her phone, moving between aisles, and eventually tried to walk out the west gate without paying.”
Despite the woman’s offer to pay for the merchandise and resolve the situation with police, she was handcuffed and taken to the police station. A female police officer is heard questioning her, “Are you allowed to steal things in India? I did not think so.” According to the video, the woman is facing felony charges, and her arrest is anticipated.
US federal legislative information on congress.gov clarifies that stealing property generally violates numerous state laws criminalizing various forms of theft and may also fall under federal criminal law, which uses terms like larceny, embezzlement, robbery, and burglary. Such offenses are considered serious and can have lasting immigration consequences.
