Blacklisted persons having valid documents can’t enter India

New Delhi, July 10: The government has made it clear that a blacklisted person will be denied entry in the country even if he/she has valid documents.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said in the Lok Sabha this while answering a question asked by Congress MP from Kerala Kodikunnil Suresh.

The MP had asked whether the government is intending to frame comprehensive guidelines to ensure that persons who are blacklisted and are not permitted entry into the country despite having been issued a valid visa/entry permit/Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, are informed of the decision promptly.

The Minister said that any foreigner can be refused entry into India due to considerations such as national security.

"Visa is granted to a foreigner only after checking his blacklisted status from the system. However, a foreigner holding an OCI card or a long-term multiple entry visa, does not have to apply for visa again and may, therefore, be denied entry into the country if he/she has in the meanwhile been blacklisted," said Rai.

He added that no foreigner has an absolute right to entry into India even after a visa or an OCI card has been issued to him/her.

The Minister said that there is no proposal to frame any guidelines to inform a foreigner of the decision to blacklist him/her.

It's notable that the Foreigners Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) maintains the consolidated blacklist of Indian citizens and foreigners against whom a "look out circular" (LOC) has been issued. The list is sent to all Indian diplomatic missions across the world, as well as to immigration checkposts within the country. The blacklist is not in the public domain.