Chinese paper visas are invalid: India

India has reacted sharply to reports of stapled visa issued by China to an Indian athlete and his coach from Arunachal Pradesh, saying such paper visas, stapled to the passport, were not considered valid for travel out of the country.

China, according to reports, after starting the practice of issuing stapled visas to Kashmiris is extending the practice to people from Arunachal Pradesh, the northeastern state bordering China which the neighbour terms as disputed territory.

India’s official spokesperson from Ministry of External Affairs in response to the latest reports said on Thursday: ?We have seen media reports on issuance of stapled visas, to an athlete Mr. Sibi Yukar and his coach Mr. Abraham Kaya, by the Chinese Embassy to India. Both of them, reportedly, are domiciled in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, which is an integral part of India.”

“We have unequivocally conveyed to the Chinese side that a uniform practice on issuance of visas to Indian nationals must be followed, regardless of the applicant?s ethnicity or place of domicile,” he said.

“Ministry had also issued a travel advisory on 12 November 2009 cautioning Indian citizens that Chinese paper visas, stapled to the passport, were not considered valid for travel out of the country,” he said.

China refuses to accept the McMohan Line, the border between Tibet and India since British days, as the border between the two nations and stakes claim to large tracts of land as a part of Tibet.

During the 1962 war, China had captured most of the NEFA (North-East Frontier Agency), which is now Arunachal Pradesh.

However, China soon declared victory and voluntarily withdrew back to the McMahon Line.

Last month, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made a three-day visit to India during which he held talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in which the issue of stapled visa was raised.

But India and China made limited progress on the prickly geopolitical issues though Jiabao himself raised the vexed stapled visa to Kashmir residents.

Jiabao said that Beijing has taken serious note of India?s concerns over issue of stapled visas by China to Jammu and Kashmir residents.

The issue of border disputes also figured during talks between Jiabao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here, with both sides deciding to maintain status quo in the disputes.

The Chinese leader asked officials to have in depth consultation on the issue.

China has been issuing stapled visas to Jammu and Kashmir residents, thereby indirectly questioning the Himalayan state?s legal merger with the Indian Union.