Saudi deports 1,000 Indians for overstaying

About 1,000 Indians, who entered Saudi Arabia on pilgrim visas and overstayed in the search of a job, were being deported since Monday after the kingdom authorities raised the issue with Indian authorities expressing concern over the rise in such cases.

Officials at Passport Department have been struggling to find them room at the deportation centre in Jeddah, which is currently coping with the rush of illegal residents taking advantage of the amnesty, media reports said.

Saudi Arabia had issued a two-month amnesty, which began April 2, for those who have entered the Kingdom on Haj and Umrah visas and overstayed there.

Many illegal residents mostly Indians are camping in squalid conditions under numerous Jeddah bridges waiting to be arrested by immigration authorities, Arab News reported.

"Nearly 8,000 overstayers are packed in Tarheel (Jeddah deportation centre)," an immigration official was quoted as saying. The capacity of the centre is just 5,500.

Expressing their concern, senior Saudi officials were in consultations with Indian consular officials over the past week to find a solution to the problem of Indians pouring into the Kingdom on Umrah visas in order to find work.

Saudi Haj Minister Fouad Al-Farsy also discussed the issue with Indian Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed when they met last month.

Earlier, Pakistanis topped the list of overstayers, but now it is Indians.

"In 2005, nearly 60,000 Pakistanis had overstayed their visas, while Indian's figure was at 40,000," a source was quoted as saying by the Arab News.

Since then, their (Pakistanis) number has decreased to 10,000, while of Indians increased has remained, the source added.

Last year, Indian Consulate issued about 25,000 emergency certificates, required before deportation, to its nationals.

Saudi officials are seeking ways to resolve the issue as the expense of deporting overstayers is borne by the Kingdom, an Indian consulate official said.

Indian consul-general Ausaf Sayeed says that illegal migrants are 'under the impression that it is easier to get deported from Jeddah.' Sayeed adds that the consulate is doing everything it can to help them.

"Ninety per cent of the Umrah overstayers are from Kerala," said the consul general.

"We do not know which Umrah travel agents in India are sending them here and who their counterparts here in the Kingdom are," said Sayeed, adding, "We have no control over them nor we are in touch with them. These travel agents in India who procure Umrah visas for these unscrupulous elements are authorised by the Saudi Embassy in New Delhi as well the Saudi Consulate in Mumbai."

The problem has more to do with pilgrims who come for Umrah and not with who come for Haj, he said pointing that Indias External Affairs Ministry registers Haj operators and the whole process is carefully regulated.