All visa information for travelling to India should be stored in a central secure database that is accessible from Indian embassies all over the world and airport immigration personnel.
Then in such cases they can attach that same visa (by printing at airport) to American passport and take a fine of say $100.
Easy, isn't it ? Same strategy can be used to cross-check issued visa and paper visa in passport. That way nobody can have a fake visa.
In future, they should create a cental database for all people in the world, and nobody should be required to carry any documents. Fingerprint along with DNA from hair should be enough. For example, they will scan the hair with a probe at airport that will instantly get DNA info and compare that with info in database. Once the person is identified, all his details like photo, travel documents should be accessible on airport computer.
American citizens cannot enter India without a visa -- its as simple as that. Can Indian children enter US without a Visa --- NO -- so how can we allow people to enter our country without a visa. I go to US with a proper visa and still have to go through rounds of security checks just because of the color of my skin and my indian passport. Nepalis dont need a passport to come to India, coz its mutual respect that matters. !!!
I kind of agree to this. Is it not exactly how people at American embassy and immigration behave. Sometimes they don't even bother to look at your papers and just say no. Why blame indian officials who do their duty. Would one be allowed to enter US without a visa? Then why should anyone be allowed to enter India. Sorry your kids that to go through it, but not for a reason right?
Its sad to read what these children have gone through. However its the same treatment of Indians at the local Indian consulate when an Indian goes for any pasport or visa related Issue. Foreigh born Nationals get a completely seperate treatment versus someone from Indian orign. I am stunned further that even though we boast of us being driving force behind the technology boom, we do not have basic tech applications for our immigration department.
I think all the parties involved here have erred one way or another. Starting with the couple, leaving a travel document home is probably one of the gravest and inexcusable mistakes.
The airline staff should have checked the documents when the family checked in.
The officials in India, while legally had a right to deport the children, could have been more sympathetic and given some more time for the papers to be faxed.
I have read many comments about the same treatment here in US. One of my "fresh off the boat" Indian colleague took his wife to Niagara on July 4th weekend and kept driving till he realized he was in Canada. When they tried to reenter US, as expected, they were detained by the US immigration authorities. However, they were given all the time to call their friends who eventually faxed their visa documents. The whole process took six hours and at the end, the officers said "sorry but this is the law" and also they were very courteous the whole time.
Also, I don't know the connection of this story to the whole "white-brown" thing. There could be 101 reasons why the French gentlemen was given the transit visa.
There are 2 things in this which should be looked at -
1) There was a mistake on the father's part, that he didn't bring the valid documents. I hope he wouldn't commit such mistake again.
2) Immigration officials deported the kids. This was correct behaviour by the officials, as per rules. However this was very rude, they had many more options which they should have explored (apart from taking bribe), a - they could have given suficient time to the parents to furnish the proper papers. b - they could have granted transit visa to the kids.
There are comments given by other readers, that this was correct behaviour by the officials, as that is what other countries, especially US officials do. I do not agree to these for the reason, that we are not like other countries. We are Indians, we are different. WE are the ones who are proud to spread values, family ties, spirituality, peace loving, etc to the whole world. I think we should use them as well.
Officers should be transferred to postings where they would not have interaction with customers or public. This is not for punishing them, as they have followed rules.
We need to have sensitive, smart officials at these places.
2. Are you publicising dumb behaviour. Not bringing the visa, this is a limit of negligence, Id say what they have suffered is nothing. And if you did not know kids do not die if they do an "air travel". Damn it they are AC flights, feel sick thinking i travelled in 2nd class Train compartments for ~ 48 hours in my childhood and not a iota of sympathy ;)
I don't think the Mumbai immigration did anything wrong. Isn't it stupid of the parents, not to carry such important immigration documents..or did they think that they could pay off people at the airport..
