DoI to address travellers’ concerns

Kathmandu, February 18

After some Nepali travellers complained of facing hassles while flying to Nepal from New Delhi due to the Department of Immigration’s circular, the department today said it was studying the complaints and would take appropriate measures to address them.

The department had issued a circular in May last year, requesting Indian authorities not to allow Nepalis to fly out of New Delhi if they did not have exit stamp in their passports stamped at Tribhuvan International Airport.

The department issued the circular with a view of discouraging trafficking of Nepali workers to foreign countries.

The provision resulted in hassles to those travelling to India through surface transport and returning to Nepal on flights. This has also created hassles to those Nepalis, who wish to travel to India by road and then fly to third countries, availing cheaper fares compared to flying out of TIA. The provision, however, does not affect travel through surface routes to and from India.

Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Nepali Embassy in New Delhi received several complaints about hassles being faced by Nepali travellers.

There’s also a provision requiring Nepalis travelling to Gulf countries through India to acquire a no objection certificate from the embassy, a provision again brought to discourage trafficking of Nepali workers to Gulf countries.

The DoI issued the circular with a view that the provision would not entail hassle for Nepalis travelling to and from India because they could do so without passports and just with citizenship certificates, and the embassy’s NoC would suffice if needed. “But as per the Indian immigration rules, the embassy’s NoC does not work,” said the MoFA official, stating that there’s no change in Indian rules and the issue surfaced due to the DoI’s circular.