Influencer Sachin Awasthi had made serious allegations against immigration officials
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Digital Desk, New Delhi. The issue of detaining an Indian influencer for 38 hours on South Korea's Jeju Island is continuously gaining momentum. Now in this matter, the Indian Embassy in Seoul has issued a travel advisory for Indian travelers going to Jeju.
The embassy wrote on social media site To reduce such possibilities, Indian citizens planning to visit Jeju Island under the Visa Waiver Scheme are advised to keep these things in mind.
Visa waiver scheme means no guarantee of entry
According to the advisory, 'Entry under Jeju visa free facility is only for short-term tourism. Final entry into the Republic of Korea is determined only by immigration officers at Jeju International Airport in accordance with Korean law. The Visa Waiver Scheme does not guarantee entry.
Advisory for Indian Nationals Travelling to Jeju Island (Republic of Korea)@MEAIndia @IndianDiplomacy @Dasspake pic.twitter.com/iwCVohFmHt
The Embassy has also advised Indian travelers to keep pre-printed copies of some important documents with them. It is clearly said that it is not right to keep screenshots only in mobile. Important documents include confirmed return air ticket, hotel reservation for the entire stay, detailed travel itinerary (day-by-day plan), proof of sufficient funds (recent bank statement/International card/Forex), passport valid for at least 6 months, travel insurance (required) and contact details of the accommodation.
The Embassy has clarified that passengers who are unable to clearly explain their travel plans may be refused entry. The Embassy also advises that travelers should demonstrate sufficient financial capacity to cover daily expenses, payment for accommodation and transport arrangements for the duration of their stay. Immigration authorities may ask related questions, the answers to which visitors will be expected to provide depending on the purpose of tourism.
A post shared by Sachin Awasthi (@sachinawasthiunscripted)
Advice for Immigration Interview
“Upon arrival, immigration officers may conduct an interview,” the embassy said. Please provide clear, truthful and consistent answers while remaining calm and cooperative. Apart from this, know the details of your itinerary and accommodation. If the immigration officer is not satisfied, entry may be refused.
The embassy said the Jeju visa waiver does not allow travel to mainland Korea. It is illegal to attempt to travel from Jeju to mainland Korea without a visa. Overstaying or doing activities without permission may result in a travel ban in future.
Rules for return also explained
The embassy said that if entry is refused, the passenger will be repatriated on the next available flight of the same airline. In that case, depending on the flight schedule, you may have to stay in the holding facility for some time.
The Embassy also clarified that the Indian Embassy in Seoul is not in a position to overturn the decisions of the Immigration Authority in entry matters. However, the embassy said it will seek the help of RoK (Republic of Korea) authorities to provide proper assistance to the Indian nationals in the holding facility.
Embassy released helpline number
The Embassy also issued some helpline numbers with the aim of providing help to Indian citizens in such a situation. The Embassy said that Indian citizens can contact the Consular Wing of the Embassy during office hours on the fixed telephone number +82-2-792-4257, extension 407 (Operator) and the fixed email address cons.seoul@mea.gov.in.
The Embassy also has an emergency contact number: 010-9356-4188, through which Indian nationals facing immigration issues can contact the Embassy for assistance after office hours, on weekends and holidays.
Actually, Indian influencer Sachin Awasthi went for a holiday to Jeju Island with his wife. But he has alleged that after landing in Jeju, immigration officials misbehaved with him and treated him like a criminal.
Sachin has released a video in this regard, in which he has clarified that his complaint is not to deny entry. Sachin said, 'It is their right to refuse entry, but my complaint is why we were treated like criminals.' Sachin has also accused the airline of charging 10 times the fare to return.
Also read- 'Detained for 38 hours and treated like a criminal' Indian influencer's mental torture in South Korea
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