MAPUSA
Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco on Friday brought to the attention of the Goa Legislative Assembly the growing anxiety among members of the Goan diaspora in the United States, particularly in Texas, who are facing severe difficulties in returning to India due to expired Indian passports.
Raising the matter during Zero Hour, Lourenco highlighted the plight of several Goans whose passports have lapsed and who are now unable to secure emergency travel documents from the Indian Consulate in Houston.
According to the MLA, the consulate is reportedly demanding an excessive number of documents to prove the applicants' Indian nationality “ even in cases where they are already presenting an expired Indian passport as proof.
“This is causing great hardship, especially to elderly individuals and those in distress. Many Goans in Texas are stranded and unable to travel back home. The current process is too complicated and needs immediate attention,” Lourenco said.
He urged the State government to take up the issue with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and press for immediate intervention.
“There should be a mechanism for fast-tracking travel documents in such cases. These people are not criminals “ they are Goans with expired documents who want to return to their homeland. The process must be simplified,” he said.
Lourenco also warned that failure to address the issue could lead to legal complications, including possible arrests or immigration penalties, for those stranded abroad due to technicalities.
He stressed the need for the Indian government to issue emergency certificates or one-way travel documents without putting applicants through unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.
