World | India
Proof of visa submitted at airport must for travel
Immigration authorities here have begun asking air passengers for a letter or proof indicating that their original visa papers have been submitted to the immigration authorities in the foreign country.
- By Pamela Raghunath, Correspondent
- Published: 00:00 October 17, 2006
Mumbai: Immigration authorities here have begun asking air passengers for a letter or proof indicating that their original visa papers have been submitted to the immigration authorities in the foreign country.
This follows an increasing number of Gulf-bound labourers being deported from airports abroad as their original visas were not deposited with the concerned authorities.
Those who apply for visas abroad now have to send a copy to the passenger with a stamp indicating that the visa has been submitted at the airport.
"The Immigration Department here decided to introduce this strong measure a month ago and since then we have found that deportation has come to the lowest level now," an immigration official, not wanting to be named, told Gulf News.
Fraudulent agent
According to him, this requirement is meant for those carrying a copy of a visa and not for those whose visas are stamped on the passport. "This is to ensure that the poor labourer is not fooled into parting with huge sums of money to pay for fictitious visas provided by fraudulent agents."
The department came up with this requirement from the "paper visa" holders after finding poor labourers being sent back from Gulf countries on the complaint that their original visas were not deposited with the authorities there, he said.
"This way, the airlines also take the responsibility and ask the agents to confirm that the visas have been deposited with the immigration abroad," said the official who gave no statistics on how many passengers were sent back so far.
An airline source merely said: "As long as the passenger has the copy of the visa, we have no problem."
Booking
Indian airlines does have a requirement of this nature but only for passengers bound for the US and UK. "This requirement came into effect after 9/11 when passport details were entered when making a booking and sent to the immigration authorities abroad," Bharti, head of public relations, Indian, told this paper. "The antecedents are then verified and okayed."
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