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Passport of validity 20 years

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Prasadp77
Friday, February 13, 2004 - 8:38 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

So far, I have never heard anyone facing any trouble if they possess passport valid for 20 year, recently one incident occurred at Arlanda Airport, Stockholm, Sweden where an Indian was prevented from boarding flight to manchester for the same reason. The formal complaint was ladged and the letter wrote to Swedish Prime Minister, Swedish foreign minister and others is posted below. I want to know if anyone has experienced such trouble, if yes, how they have lodged complaint and floow up of the matter, outcomes. We are serious on this extremely outrageous issue and we are planning follow up very seriously but can't count much as Swedish system is 'so efficient' in such cases. Letter written is as below, I guess sarcasm is reserved if things don't change.

Dear Mr Prime Minister,
I am writing you to invite your attention to the unprofessional, the arrogant and the arbitrary act and conduct of the security personnel working at Arlanda airport.

In the early morning of 2004-02-09, I was stopped from boarding the flight to Manchester by the security personnel posted at Arlanda airport for the reasons best known to them. All this happened after immigration officials had cleared my passport.

The reason indicated by the security personnel to me was that my passport was showing a validity period that was twenty years from the date of issue. As per the statement of the security personnel, they have not seen a passport in their life that was valid for twenty years from the date of issue. This ignorance led them to believe that something is grossly wrong with my passport or with me.

How ignorant they are! Why should a passenger be made to pay for the ignorance of your security personnel?

They must be aware of the facts that certain countries do issue passport that is valid for twenty years and so was mine. They should update their knowledge and should not cause intended or unintended hardship and harassment to passengers for their ignorance in an arbitrary and draconian manner.

The whole exercise was conducted in an unprofessional manner. Suddenly your security officials started testing my knowledge of Swedish even though I told them I didn't speak Swedish. They were discourteous and caused insurmountable problem to me by speaking Swedish that I do not know much. What does my knowledge of Swedish have to do with the validity period of my passport? Would you please ask your security personnel to explain me?

It would be proper and in the interest of passengers if the security personnel posted at Arlanda airport have some working knowledge of English language.

After lots of discussions and several confirmations from various authorities, they got convinced about the validity period of my passport. In the end of all these drill, they did not even have courtesy to say to me *sorry for the inconvenience* or *thanks for the
cooperation*. This does speak of the society that they belong to.

The purpose of writing this mail to you is to apprise you of the high handedness of the officials managing security at Arlanda airport who are very unprofessional, arrogant, arbitrary and discourteous in dealing with passengers.

Best regards
ABC


Now we have to see if the officers involved here do their job,as Sweden always boasts of being open society (well certainly it is as compared to Germany and France)
Your comments, suggestions in all respect are welcome, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE IN POSTING ANY OF YOUR FEELING, YOUR SLIGHT IDEA CAN BE OF VERY MUCH USE TO US.

Pinku
Friday, February 13, 2004 - 2:48 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

A similar incident was reported in Indian Express (North America Edition) which occured at the Mexico-US border.

https://www.iexpressusa.com/new/articles/archive_news.php?id=1113&from=news

Prasadp77
Friday, February 13, 2004 - 3:20 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

Indian version of same story
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/494768.cms

I am sure Pinku, that Immigration officer must be an idiot cowboy, same as Bush!! (May be I should find out if this immigration officer had 'some link' there;)

Prasadp77
Tuesday, February 17, 2004 - 9:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

Wondered, its been 4 days and no one has any comments!! In fact, I thought, I will get very good input of some ideas!!

Kiran
Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 9:52 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

20 years validity PP has been withdrawn since 2000 but previously issued PP are still valid.

Prasad, what comments are you expecting?


Prasadp77
Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 9:33 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

As per your comment, many of the folks 'should' have passport of 20 years validity (Even I have one) So wondered if anyone who you know has been through any trouble.
If someone faces such trouble, how they will proceed, is it right the way we are proceeding etc

Kiran
Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 2:21 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

The incidances narrated above are really unfortunate but quite probable to repeat.

hmm. probably you need to form a group or something to join hands and get an additional authentication letter from passport issuing authority from Govt. of India about validity of such passports.

If you cannot get in touch with enough number of people having 20 yrs pass-port, I'll suggest you apply a new passport with standard 10 yr validity. I know this sounds funny but ultimately we are in trouble because of mistakes of others.

by the way, when did u apply for this 20yr passport? It is still shown on some of the indian consulate sites (obviously not updated) but I really couldn't find any other country providing 20 yr validity passport.

Milindaa
Friday, February 20, 2004 - 10:20 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

I have got only 10 years valid PP even when I got it before 2000

Kiran
Friday, February 20, 2004 - 1:34 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

Milindaa, Even my PP has 10yrs validity. There was an option of getting 20 yr validity PP by paying some extra money. similar to getting standard 36-page book versus 60-page book for visa stamping.

But reason for withdrawl of issue of 20 Yr validity PP was not one of these issues, it was because with this long time period the appearance of the PP holder changes which necessiates to have a new PP issued to him/her.


Prasadp77
Friday, February 20, 2004 - 3:27 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

I got my passport done in 1999 and I paid double the amount than that of for 10 years passport. In fact, I did take into consideration Kiran's point of appearance but for some unknown reason I was tempted to apply for 20 years passport.

My worry is just round the corner, I am planning to attend conference in California in August so I am getting a feeling that yanks in Sweden will certainly create some trouble.

I am writing to Passport Authority of India now. "If I get any reply", will post here.

Asawari
Friday, February 20, 2004 - 3:49 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

This is really a horrible experience.
Mala tar waatat aahe shahanya mansane ata bhartabaher paduch naye. amhee atta bharatachee trip karun aalo teva visa stamp gheun parat ithe us madhye extry karne finger pints etc etc mhanje ek agnidiwya kelya sarkhe watle.
Sadhya taree ithe us madhye je visa war aahet tyanchee avastha garaj saro vaidya maro ashee zalee aahe.
aso rahavle nahee mhanun lihile.

Kiran
Monday, February 23, 2004 - 11:28 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

Prasad, you are in Sweden, right? take the help of Indian Consulate there. They should be able to help you. They can Authenticate you and produce a letter for validity of the passport. At least they should produce a letter that Indian government had delivered some passports which are valid for 20 years.

Prasadp77
Monday, February 23, 2004 - 12:30 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

Kiran, Trust me, the staff here is absolutely useless, they don't have 'help' word or idea in their dictionary. They put their hands up for anything you need from them.
Last week's episode, I have Begali in my dept, his passport is expiring in March 2005 and visa in May 2004, He will extend his visa for another year. (We get yearly resident permit) so he reallised that he will get visa for only 10 months instead of 12 months and he went to consulate asking if he can apply now. He got an answer that it is too early and he narrated whole story why he wants to apply now and he had sensible reason to do so but he was told to get a written letter from Swedish migration board that they will not issue him 12 month visa on 10 month valid passport (which is of course evident) and then only they will let him apply. So he had to prove himself fool in office of Swedish migration board and then they let him apply.
They are 'so' helpful that I strongly feel that they should be sitting in Zumrutallaiya rather than stockholm

Vj1
Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 9:12 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

bhau mhanunach sangitle ahe, sarkar darbarpacun jitke laamb rahave titake changale ahe, otherwise tumhi amhi gharchi sukhaci poli sodun ikdchya deshat alo asto ka?

Kiran
Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 11:35 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

मी ठाण्याच्या पासपोर्ट कार्यालयात ह्याबाबत चौकशी केली असता त्यांनी मला नवीन १० वर्षाचा PP apply करायचा सल्ला दिला. मला वाटते शहाण्या माणसाने २० वर्षाच्या PP चे पैसे अक्कलखाती टाकुन नवीन अप्लाय करणे ईष्ट मानावे.

माझा अगोदरचा १० वर्षाचाच होता पण माझ्या मित्राचा २० वर्षाचा आहे

तसेही आता US मध्ये handwritten PP आणि चिकटवलेले फोटो accept करत नाहीत.


Nigudker
Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 6:16 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post  Link to this message

Indian Embassy and consulate officialls really fool they do not give any help as I am Journalist for the one american media in south east asia I have to travel lot and I do not get any help from Indian embassy if any problem to me but I get best co-operation from the US embassy or conuslte and they help me for example I was travelling to Hongkong for a conference and Hongkong Immgration stoped me and asked to wait befor clearing my immgration and visa as you get visit visa at airport in Hongkong from there I called the Indian embassy but I donot get any help but when I called US Embassy then within five mintues Hongknong immgration offical rush to me and said sorry for the detaining me and even pickup my language and drop me near the taxi stand even I do not have to take my handbag there forgot any help form Indian embassy or conuslate in forign country

चोखंदळ ग्राहक
महाराष्ट्र धर्म वाढवावा
व्यक्तिपासून वल्लीपर्यंत
पांढर्‍यावरचे काळे
गावातल्या गावात
तंत्रलेल्या मंत्रबनात
आरोह अवरोह
शुभंकरोती कल्याणम्
विखुरलेले मोती


हितगुज गणेशोत्सव २००६






 
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