Question : STAPLED VISA BY CHINA

(a) whether China has stopped issuing stapled visa to the residents of Jammu & Kashmir;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether China has issued stapled visa to a Karate team from Arunachal Pradesh recently;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(e) whether the Government has taken up these matters with the Chinese Government; and

(f) if so, the details thereof including the level at which these matters were taken up and the reaction of the Chinese Government thereto?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI S.M. KRISHNA)

(a) to (f) Government is aware that China is issuing visas on a separate paper that is stapled to the passports of Indian nationals from the State of Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh. Government’s position that Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh are integral parts of India and that there should be no discrimination against visa applicants of Indian nationality on grounds of domicile and ethnicity has been clearly conveyed to the Chinese Government on several occasions, including during the recent visit to India by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in December 2010.