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Visa Free Travel For Indians - No More?

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  1. #1

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    Visa Free Travel For Indians - No More?

    Some of the most prominent figures in Hong Kong's Indian community have lashed out at suggestions to end the visa waiver programme for Indian nationals, saying such a scenario would be a "nightmare" for business and tourism.They warned that the move would result in visitors bypassing Hong Kong as their traditional transit point en route to the mainland and it would not be fitting for the status of Asia's so-called "World City".


    "This will send a very negative message," said Rajkumar Sabnani, a long-time Hong Kong resident from India and committee member of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in the city. "This will result in a loss to Hong Kong, I believe."

    The Security Bureau has said it is considering scrapping the programme for Indians in an effort to curb the number of asylum seekers.
    From: Indian business leaders angry over proposal to abolish Hong Kong visa waiver programme for compatriots | South China Morning Post

  2. #2

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    Perhaps driven by a localist sentiment?

    Dominic Lee Tsz-king - chairman of the Liberal Party's Youth Committee and a key force behind the proposal - defended the move as a "sacrifice to protect our borders".

    "For legitimate visitors, it's not too much hassle to get visas these days. It can be done online or through many mediums," said Lee.
    The financial drain caused by asylum seekers more than outweighed the economic contribution by Indian tourists, he insisted.

  3. #3

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    They hardly have a leg to stand on, when India does not grant reciprocal visa waivers to Hong Kong passport holders.


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    Quote Originally Posted by big_panda:
    They hardly have a leg to stand on, when India does not grant reciprocal visa waivers to Hong Kong passport holders.
    I did not know that. I guess I kind of assumed there was an agreement...

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    Quote Originally Posted by big_panda:
    They hardly have a leg to stand on, when India does not grant reciprocal visa waivers to Hong Kong passport holders.
    Isn't it that most nationals need a visa for India?

    Visa policy of India - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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    I needed a visa to enter India last year and I carry a Canadian passport. It took 4 days if I recall correctly. So no sympathy from me for Indian travelers to HK.

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    How many Indians come to HK to claim asylum? On what grounds?


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    Yep to get a visa for India, you need to fill in so much bloody information and if you mess up, have to start again, upload specific jpg photo which has to be a specific size etc, it is such a pain in the arse so just like threelittlepigs I have no sympathy for them also


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    - Not a visa waiver as such. A visa on arrival thing that has existed for decades. Not gone back and researched when it was set into place and what the agreements were that cause it to be a "one way" waiver.
    - Canada / UK / Insert first world country here do not have visa on arrival schemes for Indians. So India does not have one for them.

    Quite keen to see how this plays out ... @hullexile - we are #1 as far as asylum seekers are concerned!
    @wtbhotia - I feel for you. But I feel far worse than you when I have to travel to your country (UK I presume)... pretty much a reciprocal situation.

    http://www.justicecentre.org.hk/fram...eply-April.pdf

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  10. #10

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    And I found that PDF from a link on this blog post.

    Justice Centre Hong Kong Remembering Our Roots » Justice Centre Hong Kong


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