THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
Quite a few overstaying foreign nationals are increasingly attempting to shield themselves from immigration action by producing United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cards, forcing authorities to crack down on the growing misuse of refugee documentation to prolong illegal stay in Goa.
Officials told The Goan that the trend has emerged primarily among nationals from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, with several foreigners allegedly producing UNHCR cards after their visas had expired in an attempt to avoid deportation proceedings or secure accommodation without alerting the police.
“India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol. A UNHCR card does not legalise an overstay or override Indian immigration laws. Anyone attempting to use such documents after their visa has expired or even otherwise should be reported to the police immediately,” the senior official said.
The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) Goa has begun sensitising hotel owners, landlords and residents across Goa, particularly in the coastal belt, after finding that some foreigners were using the cards to persuade property owners to provide accommodation without reporting their stay to the local police.
Officials said the practice has become a fresh challenge in immigration enforcement, with some overstayers citing war and international conflicts to justify their continued presence in India despite entering the country on short-term visas.
“Among foreign nationals who have either been deported or are currently detained pending deportation, several attempted to rely on UNHCR documentation during enforcement proceedings,” the source revealed, adding that these cards are believed to have been issued through an agency based in Pune, a matter now under probe.
The issue had recently also reached the judiciary. In one instance, a Russian national challenged the immigration action before the High Court of Bombay at Goa after invoking a UNHCR card. However, after the court declined to grant relief, the petitioner withdrew the case.
The warning comes amid an intensified crackdown on foreigners overstaying in Goa.
Earlier this year, three foreign nationals who ignored formal Exit Permits and subsequent ‘Leave India’ notices issued by the FRRO Mumbai were traced in Goa, detained by FRRO Panaji and remanded to the detention centre in Mapusa before being deported.
The issue also surfaced during investigations into serious criminal cases. In the double murder case against Russian national Alexei Leonov, the police found visa irregularities involving both the accused and the two victims, who were allegedly working despite holding visas that did not permit employment.
