India: Exit procedures at New Delhi International airport, including personal and documentary checks, particularly to detect Sikh militants and their supporters (since 1994)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 May 1998 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | IND29234.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, India: Exit procedures at New Delhi International airport, including personal and documentary checks, particularly to detect Sikh militants and their supporters (since 1994), 1 May 1998, IND29234.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6abc38.html [accessed 6 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
There is little information on exit procedures at New Delhi International airport, including personal and documentary checks, amongst the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
According to the June 1994 reported produced by the Australian Refugees, Immigration and Asylum Section (RIAS) entitled Country Profile: India,
Checks at airports are thorough. The checks are carried out against manual and computer lists; however, there is no national linkage of the computerised system. Advice from a number of sources indicates that no-one of concern to the authorities and for whom an arrest warrant was in force would be able to leave the country either undetected or by bribery. The same sources, however, noted that if such a person obtained a new passport in a different name (which was easy to do), they would not be detected ...
At present there is not a computer linkage between passport and departure systems. There is, however, an efficient liaison between departments to check on the departure of persons who have been involved in serious crimes. Whilst the system outlined above is efficient, it is relatively easy for people to obtain passports in fictitious names and with fictitious addresses without a great deal of effort on the black market or through the payment of bribes. The penalties for such actions are insufficient to deter would-be offenders who, in any case, would again be able to bribe their way out of any trouble which might result (3-4).
A 12 June 1995 Los Angeles Times article described a passport scam at Indira Gandhi International Airport and the corruption of some of its airport personnel. The article also indicated that airline counter personnel and police were supposed to check the passports and visas of everyone exiting the country.
A 16 September 1991 Xinhua article reported the introduction of the "most secured passport" by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to "check the forged passport menace."
Please consult Response to Information Request IND17845.E of 7 July 1994, available at Regional Documentation Centres, for information on the procedures at New Delhi airport with respect to document checks.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Los Angeles Times. 12 June 1995. Home Edition. John-Thor Dahlburg. "Lonely Officer Challenges India Passport Scam; Corruption: Immigration Policeman Receives Little Support for Complaints About Sale of Doctored Documents." (NEXIS)
Refugees, Immigration and Asylum Section (RIAS), Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia. June 1994. Country Profile: India. Parkes, ACT: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Xinhua. 16 September 1991. "New Way to Detect Forged Passports Introduced in India." (NEXIS)
Additional Sources Consulted
Patterns of Global Terrorism 1996. 1997. (WWW)
Electronic sources: CISINFO, Internet, IRB Databases, LEXIS/NEXIS, REFWORLD.
