Immigration Department Completes Investigation into Passport Condition Writing
Kathmandu. The Department of Immigration has completed its investigation into the incident where departure permission was granted by mentioning 'conditions' on the passports of those going to the UAE on tourist visas.
Employees of the International Airport Immigration Office had written conditions such as 'Not for work, only visit' and 'UAE visit only, employment is completely prohibited' on the passengers' passports. The incident caused widespread criticism after it became public.
During the investigation, it was found that two officers from the airport immigration office were writing such conditions on passengers' passports. Director (Spokesperson) of the Department of Immigration, Tikaram Dhakal, told Ratopati that officers Top Bahadur Khatri and Bimal Poudel were found to be granting departure permission by specifying conditions outside the law.
Before stamping the departure permission on the passport, they had handwritten such language. It was found that they had also mentioned the return date on two passports.
The Department of Immigration has decided to remove both officers from the international airport. Director Dhakal said they have been transferred outside the Kathmandu Valley.
Top Bahadur Khatri has been transferred as the immigration officer at the Nepal-China border crossing at Korala, and Bimal Poudel has been transferred to the immigration office in Hilsa, Humla.
Social media users had criticized that writing such language on passports further weakens the importance of Nepali passports abroad. Experts say that there is no need to write 'Not for work, only visit' when a visit visa has already been obtained.
Director Dhakal informed that since the Department of Immigration had not made any decision regarding this, the two officers had written it of their own accord.
This specific news has been automatically translated by AI. As a result, there may be some inaccuracies or language errors.
