New Delhi: In a rebuff to China, India
on Thursday made it clear that any paper visa "stapled" to the
passport in separate sheets rather than pasted will be treated
as invalid for travel out of the country.
"It has come to the attention of the government that
the Chinese Embassy here and its Consulates in Mumbai and
Kolkata are issuing visas on a separate piece of paper stapled
to the passport (rather than "pasted" as is the usual
practice), to certain categories of Indian nationals on the
basis of their domicile, ethnicity and/or place of issue of
the passport.
"Such paper visas stapled to the passport are not
considered valid for travel out of the country," Ministry of
External Affairs said in a statement here.
The snub comes in the wake of the reports that some
Kashmiri students and businessmen were given visa by the
Chinese embassy on a separate piece of paper, stapled to the
passport. Immigration officials at the airport denied
permission to such travellers to fly out.
The Ministry of External Affairs also asked its
citizens to ascertain from the Chinese embassy or Consulate
whether the visa issued to them will be affixed to the
passport or will be in the nature of a stapled paper visa to
avoid any inconvenience or financial loss.
"All Indian citizens intending to travel to the
People's Republic of China are advised that before making any
travel arrangements they should first ascertain from the
Chinese Embassy or Consulate, as the case may be, whether the
visa being issued to them will be affixed to the passport or
will be in the nature of a stapled paper visa, so that they
are not inconvenienced or put to any financial loss later on
this count," the ministry said.
Chinese embassy officials here have been maintaining
that stapling of the visas on a separate piece of paper was a
"usual practice" for last few years and the problem was from
the side of Indian immigration officials at the airport.
The Chinese Embassy's practice of stamping visas to
some Kashmiris on a separate sheet of paper instead of
passports was seen as a new front in needling it, evoking a
strong reaction from India.
The visas were stamped on separate papers as was the
practice for those hailing from Arunachal Pradesh.
The action with regard to Kashmiri travellers is seen
as an attempt by China to question the status of Jammu and
Kashmir as part of India.
Upset over the development, India had said, "it is our
considered view and position that there should be no
discrimination against visa applicants of Indian nationality
on the grounds of domicile or ethnicity."
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, November 12, 2009, 21:07