Visas for Goa

Indic

It is applied quite rigourously.

moksha1

Yes, this applies to all guests, Indian Citizens included. It is in addition to the "C Form" which, you are correct, whenever they bothered to use it usually involved presentation of your passport.

There have been police "sweeps" of lodges and guest houses, particularly around Margao in the past few weeks. As you would expect, almost all of the inspected premises were found to be in violation of the new registration and photo identity requirements. Penalties for non compliance have been stepped up, and I expect there will now be more rigorous enforcement of the regulations.

Private households who take in temporary guests, household helps, sometimes itinerant labourers, are required to report and furnish evidence of their guests identity and that of their antecedants to the local police station. This has been in force for almost two years now in Goa, though rarely carried out I should think.

As I said, the State police have officialy announced Goa to be on "red alert", and there are repeated requests in the media and at public information meetings for all citizens to be extra vigilant about "strangers" in their localities.This suggests that they have some credible "intelligence" on a potential threat, having informed reason to act as they are doing. The budget for "khabris" (paid informers) has been increased, and this has been openly disclosed in the newspapers.

These rules and "stop and searches" should, in practice, apply to everyone irrespective of nationality or religious/ethnic background. However, "screening" criteria are best explained by the Indian Police, Military and Intelligence Services; I wouldn't be too confident of fair treatment if I were a Pakistani caught in an area of India for which I didn't have a passport!

Particularly since the Bangalore and Ahmedabad bombings on subsequent days, security is very tight, and there is a tangible fear of another terrorist incident, Goa being a "soft target".

moksha1

http://oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=8081&cid=2 6

"...During random checks conducted by the men-in-uniform, the hotel owners could not explain their failure to comply with the directives, forcing the police to recommend action against them.
The ongoing drive is part of the exercise undertaken in view of the high alert sounded in Goa in view of the recent blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad."

Nick-H

Thanks for the extra information and background, Moksha.

__________________
.


Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

cyrus994

well.... i see that there needs to be a form filled once one is in Goa ( sadly i haven't been allowed a visa to Goa :P ) however, the case being that, at least for Pakistanis, you cannot visit any other city or state other than the ones designated.

There is a strict requirement for police reporting in each city you visit once every 24 hours however owing to my university being regarded as the most modern one in Pakistan and ofcourse a few contacts here and there....we were granted Police reporting EXEMPTED visas for india.

I've recently been told that Indians, even artists need seprate visa permission for entering canttonment areas or premises where there is a hint of military presence. thus owing to the current situation i don't think anyone would've granted a Pakistani any visa.