I just spent two days in Delhi getting my tourist visa extended, right after landing as my visa was expiring in another 3 days. My travel agent in US told me that it is ok to travel to India as long as you enter India before visa expires, and immigration officials will stamp it for more days. Obviously I found out right after landing that it does not work like that. I had to stand in endless lines for next two days going over to Ministry of Home Affairs and FRRO and reason with officials about why I should get an extension. It was a terrible time with the feeling that I will be sent back any time. I had a very strong dislike for all these people and procedures that time. I was totally disillusioned with how the system works and how these people treat you.
But later on when you think about, they were following the rules and doing their job. No one, in the whole process, ever showed a hint of getting bribed or doing favors.Believe me,they have to deal with lots of people like me every day with similar cases.I saw it myself standing in those lines. It was my fault, they still made exception based on proof of my Indian origin once my wife faxed Indian passport copies.
Its unfortunate that they have gone thru this, but they themselves are responsible for this. No one in their proper mind would forget old passports and visas unless they were living in isolation with other desi community. No one should take it granted that you can bypass the rules if you are an NRI. Would these parents expect a different treatment incase they were in a different country?
And then if transit was granted to the frenchman mentioned by breaking the rules, certainly action should be taken against the officials.
i cant believe that Indian officals would stoop so low. True that they had fault on their side but the officals could have issued them a temporary visa. What do they think they're doing?? It's not like those people were going to stay there illegally. THey come from a distance and they are forced to return. The governement needs to set their priorites straight.
I'm really ashamed of the treatment you and your family met for having forgotten your kids visa. I'm also, absolutely furious at the fact that they treated you differently from the frenchmen.
This is totally ridiculous act and I sincerely hope that the official in charged be repremanded for this kind of inhuman treatment.
I say that even the frenchman should not have been allowed in and thats the mistake the immigration official made. The NRI gentleman is saying something akin to "Ok, I made the mistake. So if the frenchman's mistake was condoned, why wasn't mine". This NRI gentleman knew that he was travelling with young children, yet he and his wife were irresponsible enough to not carry the legal documents.
t seems to be a strange incident happened at Mumbai airport, but if Mumbai immigration officials have done some thing wrong (I personally cant see any thing wrong) the family cant blame them because the fault at their part was unforgivable. I would like to ask the family do you think after staying a long time over USA, if the same thing would happen here you would get a better behavior from USA officials, I dont thing so (I do stay at USA for couple of years). Before telling shame to Indian officials, Indian system etc. friends remember you are reading something which is from one side of the incident and could be biased version of the whole incident. None the less, I couldnt under stand a family with a so called good educational background how could perform such an irresponsible act.
What did the parents think??? That this is India and it will not enforce anything? Stop whining you fools - I forgot everything..How long did it take you to get your green card? Would you have been allowed into the US without a valid visa? Learn to respect India and its laws...The officers are right and morons like you should learn from this. AJ United States
I don't understand what kind of a dumb parents are they, blaming indian immigration. I stay in michigan, US and always check my travel papers twice before I step out(international journ.).
They themselves are racial, discriminating their own kids ...think ...what you are doing. Stop blaming and putting your own stupidity on others shoulder.
I do believe that immigration officials could do a lot better with training in interpersonal skills and basic politeness.
These are amongst the first people that NRIs come in contact with when they return/revisit their homeland. It is sad that the impression left by the behaviour displayed by these officials possibly strengthens the popular NRI belief that they are better off in another country.
But here is another point. Even a novice traveller(who knew a little bit about international travel) would make sure that they knew of visa/permit regulations well in advance especially if they did not hold a passport given by the country they intended to visit.
A highly educated, well functioning individual(like the ones mentioned in the article) neglecting to check visa rules before coming to India on a planned holiday points towards something else - possibly the smug belief that a U.S.green card/citizenship allows unrestricted travel. Shame!
