India has reiterated that separate stapled visas being issued by the Chinese embassy to citizens from Jammu and Kashmir are not valid for travel outside the country and has advised travellers to ensure that their visa is affixed on the passport.

In a travel advisory on Chinese visas, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has cautioned that citizens should ensure with the Chinese Embassy that stapled paper visas are not being issued before making any travel arrangements to the country.

“All Indian citizens intending to travel to the People’s Republic of China are advised that before making any travel arrangements they should first ascertain from the Chinese Embassy or Consulate, as the case may be, whether the visa being issued to them will be affixed to the passport or will be in the nature of a stapled paper visa, so that they are not inconvenienced or put to any financial loss later on this count,” the advisory says.

The warning to citizens comes after repeated cases of stapled visas being issued by China to travellers from Jammu and Kashmir.

India has already issued instructions at all exit points that such visas will not be valid for travel. ens