A stapled visa is an unconventional form of visa issued by China to Indian nationals from specific regions, particularly Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Instead of stamping the visa directly onto the passport, a stapled visa is an unstamped piece of paper that is attached to a page of the passport with pins or staples. The holder can detach or tear it off easily.
China issues these stapled visas to Indian nationals from Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir as part of its ongoing territorial dispute with India over these regions. China disputes India’s sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh and challenges the legal status of the McMahon Line, which is the boundary between Tibet and British India agreed upon at the Simla Convention of 1914. This disagreement has been a contentious issue between the two countries and has led to occasional tensions and transgressions across the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
By issuing stapled visas, China attempts to undermine India’s claim over these regions and asserts its own unilateral claim to the territory. It considers the areas it disputes, particularly Arunachal Pradesh, as part of its territory and refers to it as “Zangnan” or “South Tibet” in Chinese language and maps.
This practice of issuing stapled visas to residents of Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir began around 2005-2006. Over the years, several incidents have been reported where individuals from these regions were issued stapled visas by the Chinese authorities, leading to diplomatic protests from India.
The issuance of special visas by China is seen as an attempt to challenge India’s sovereignty claims and create tensions between the two countries on territorial matters. As a result, India has consistently refused to accept these stapled visas as valid documents and has raised strong protests with China over the matter. The use of stapled visas is viewed by India as discriminatory and a violation of the principle of non-discrimination in the visa regime for Indian citizens holding valid Indian passports.
For more such news stay tuned to FELA News!
Image Source: English Jagran
