Kudos to the Immigration officials for doing their duty!!! Absolutely on spot. I will request the NRI family in question to think about the whole incident in perspective and wonder if instead of them....it would have been some subversive elements......and if some bad incident would have occurred..we wud have gone blaming evryone; right from the immigration guys to the local havildar. You have made a mistake and have to face the consequences......
Enjoy your trip back to India ( with the requisite VISA's).....this is your country and your country is becoming efficient & powerful.JAI HIND
I would say, that the chalta hai attitude which NRI's have of India should change. We tend to follow rules in other countries, but when it comes to our own country, we are astonished when rules are followed.
I am not saying what was done was right, but please do not expect us to believe that you made the mistake of forgetting to get a visa.
The official could have been humane, but consider how many instances of NRI's trying to pull their weight around must have been noticed by these people.
I hope that the immigration officials change their attitude. Deporting people of indian origin is unfortunate. They could have given them enough time to receive the information by fax. They could have checked their computers to access the information. Immigration officials should be taught how to be courteous. That can improve the image of India and tourism in particular. Tourists will not come back if they find the people in India are not honest and courtious. PChode
I just want to ask this question. If i had gone to USA (first of all i dont think anyone would have allowed me on board without a visa) without a visa would they have given me a transit visa? the answer is a big no. I agree that the experience has been bad. But what do you think sir, being in USA entitles you to just walk in without a visa. Start respecting your country and do the proper thing. Get a visa and come here. Dont take India for granted even if you are a PIO. And dont talk about Indian officers being rude. I have plenty of stories about officials in San Jose
I think officials did their job with current systems we have. I do sympatise, but I would take it as lessons learnt hard way and not pass on such comments in the name of country and your brothers in India and talking about humanity. I would say lucky you that this happended in India.
When I arrived in USA, my customs form which I was suppose to get back after stamping at immigration counter was my mistake kept with the officer. When I reached to place where I need to submit that form, I said I dont have it, they called up other official and they doubted that I came out without going thru immigration process. For moment I was introgated as if I am a criminal - I dont blame them for that. I was taken to some Sr. Officer and few people followed me to the counter I passed through. They checked the system and found that I went thru all process and the officer at counter my mistake kept my customs form. Then officer said, our mistake we will deal with this officer later and you can go your way now.
Just a customs form, and for half an hour and you are suspected, imagine if you forget your visa papers or other important documents here.
Obviously, Immigration wanted to show what a powerful organization they are within the bureaucracy that is India. How I wish the Prez reads this thread.
But again, thinking nimbler when the situation got out of hand, without losing your head, may have influenced the situation, or at the very least, made it less stressful.
Here are some thoughts -
~ humane treatment can be expected with accepting your mistake wholeheartedly and apologizing to immigration authorities.
~ Having set the apologetic tone, I would have noted down the departure time of the next Air France flight (not the one which departed in a couple of hours, but the one after that), and humbly requested time until then from IMMIGRATION
~ Giving them bad press after the fact does not make things better, but worse for yourself...because they have access to your records and you may already be a marked man for future transit abuse. [Perhaps ?] So all along the 'process' and thereafter, I would be taking a pacifist tone with Indian Immigration. That kind of attitude may have invited treatment similar to the French connection.
After reading all the comments...... I really wonder..... How Govt is giving dual cttizenship to this dirty NRIs..... Their words r looking like abusing officers at airport....but India....Indians a whole..... You are throwing filth on your own country..... on your won mother land.
I am sorry to read such a bad experience. Indian official should have given you more time to submit papers. It is true Indian Immigration officers do not behave properly/or they act sometime really inhuman... But something comes to mind. (1) why you took lightly about Indian Immigration process. (2) why you did not take children's visa before departing from US (3) What made you to think "its ok, i can do it from India"? (4) Being an Indian why did not respect Indian Immigration Process? (5) Do you goto Any US Secretray of State office without your documents or photo ID? Why?
Please do not take our country's LAW lightly. IT should be respected always. Granting VISA to French guy understandble just because he is a foreigner/deportation theory works differently country to country. (benefit of doubt). Do you think US immigration law will allow person to enter US without VISA if that guy being an US Guy but holding Indian PAssport. Answer::NO
Please be careful next time atleast when you deal your kid's travel. It is absolutely your mistake.
The incident is nothing new to our country. We come across such people all the time when we are forced to interact with our beurocracy. I hope someone takes notice and things improve for the better.
