MHA clarifies Indian immigration had no role in Nepali citizen’s travel denial

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a clarification regarding reports that a Nepali citizen was allegedly disallowed from travelling while transiting through Delhi airport. 

The MHA stated that Indian immigration authorities had “no role to play” in the incident, asserting that the matter was entirely between the airline and the passenger.

According to the statement, the passenger had arrived from Kathmandu on an Air India flight and was transiting through Delhi to board a Qatar Airways flight to Germany. “She was stopped while boarding the connecting flight of Qatar Airways. It was the airline which decided not to let her undertake her onward travel to Germany, considering her visa validity and flew her back to Kathmandu,” the ministry said.

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The MHA explained that such actions are generally undertaken by airlines in accordance with the destination country’s rules and requirements. The passenger later rescheduled her trip and successfully travelled to Germany via another route from Kathmandu.

Clarifying further, the ministry reiterated that international transit passengers are not required to approach Indian immigration for their onward journeys. “This is a matter between the airlines and the passenger, with absolutely no role of Indian immigration authorities,” the statement read.