Oman to deport 3,497 Indians

Oman will deport nearly 3,500 Indian workers who have overstayed in the country even after the expiry of their visas or resident permits.

The ministry of manpower published a list of 3,497 Indians in a newspaper asking them to cooperate with authorities to facilitate their repatriation, failing which they will have to pay a fine and face legal action as well.

In November last year, following a request from the Indian embassy, the Oman government had agreed to allow illegally residing Indians to leave the country without paying any fines but subject to normal checking of their antecedents.

"Two lists, one with 5,541 names of persons who came with employment visa, and another with 2,603 names of people who had come on visit visa, have been submitted to the government, seeking permission for their repatriation," Anil Wadhwa, Indian ambassador to Oman, said.

The Indian embassy has urged the overstaying workers, whose names appear in the list, to make use of the chance and cooperate with the ministry and embassy to facilitate their repatriation.

The list includes workers overstaying in Oman and whose names were registered with the Embassy of India during the last amnesty scheme in November 2007.

"The ministry of manpower plans to repatriate workers without valid resident permits or travel documents, and requests the sponsors and establishments (whose details are published in the newspaper) to contact the joint inspection team of the ministry in Ruwi, or the labour offices in various regions for further necessary action," a source in the ministry told the Times of Oman newspaper.

"If the sponsors and the establishments concerned are not taking necessary steps to settle the issue, they will have to face legal consequences in this regard," it said.