China: Follow-up to CHN30410.E of 10 November 1998 on the requirements a Tibetan-in-exile must meet to obtain a Green Book; who issues it; its purpose; whether it offers special privileges and whether it has an expiry date

On 20 November 1998, the President of the International Campaign for Tibet in Washington, DC, forwarded a memo on the determination of Tibetan nationality, and documents, to the Research Directorate that had originally been sent to the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Please find that information below:

Notes on Determining Tibetan Nationality:

1) Green book: One of the best ways to determine if a person is a bona fide Tibetan in exile is to see if they have a "Green Book."  A Green Book is issued by the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan government-in-exile) and it is a voluntary contribution book which is stamped annually back to the 1970s.  We are not aware of any cases where Green Books have been forged, probably because they can be checked very easily with the nearest Office of Tibet, which stamps the Book annually. In North America, the Office of Tibet in New York is a very reliable authority in determining who is a bona fide Tibetan refugee based on their Green Book.

The organization set up to collect voluntary contributions is the Tibetan Freedom Movement.  The voluntary contributions are asked from every Tibetan to above the age of 6 to help pay the expenses of the Tibetan government in exile, also referred to as the Central Tibetan Administration.  The Tibetan Freedom Movement is an organization under the Assembly of Tibetan Peoples Deputies (the Tibetan parliament in exile) and also undertakes other political activities such as organizing demonstrations and signature campaigns on behalf of prisoners of conscience, etc.

Tibetans inside Tibet do not have Green Books and if a Tibetan were to return and be found with one, it would undoubtedly be a basis for persecution since the Green Book is the most official document issued by the government in exile.  Payment of the voluntary contribution is a condition to gain voting rights in parliamentary elections.

2) Another excellent form of documentation is the letter issued by the reception center in Kathmandu or Dharamsala:  These are issued by the Tibetan government in exile for Tibetans to be admitted to schools or workplaces.  These were issued to "new arrivals," meaning those Tibetans leaving Tibet since 1980.  The Office of Tibet in Kathmandu and the reception center in Kathmandu could be contacted to verify whether a Tibetan has passed through their system since 1980.

Documents:

Almost all Tibetans over the age of 18 are issued an "RC" - Residential Certificate.  The annual renewal requirement is a formality.  Tibetans over 18 without an RC would almost always be new arrivals who have come from Tibet in the last year or two.

In order to travel, the Indian government issues an IC - Identity Certificate.  However, Indian law does not recognize new arrivals, so technically, they are not to be issued an RC or an IC.  To get around this, Tibetans use false dates of arrival, i.e. in the 1960s or 1970s. The Indian government policy of not recognizing new arriving refugees stems from its sensitivity toward Beijing.  India does have an excellent record of admitting Tibetan refugees.  The IC can be difficult to get - partially because bribes are expected, and some Tibetans can't afford the bribes.

Normally, you can get an IC within 3 - 4 months, and faster with bribing. There is a problem getting the NORI - No Objection to Return.  NORI clearance comes from state police authorities, saying that you don't have any criminal record.  Obtaining the NORI takes several more months.

Indian Citizenship: If you are born in India you are eligible to be an Indian citizen.  Otherwise, you have to reside in India for 5 years before applying for citizenship.  Passports can be illegally procured, but very few Tibetans are believed to have these.  More often, bribes are given to speed up the issuance of a passport or of an Identity Certificate.

Nepalese Citizenship:  In Nepal, buying false passports is quite common, and is used as a means for Tibetans to quickly exit the country.  A number of Tibetans coming from Tibet have done this.  These passports would most likely be in the name of an ethnic Nepalese of Tibetan origin such as a Sherpa, Lama or Shrestha.

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.

Reference

International Campaign for Tibet. 20 November 1998. E-mail from the President.