Subject: – Mrs. Rinchen Dolma and her two minor child.
Date: – 28th March- 12th April 2017.
Cause of action: – In exile from last many years without Registration Certificate (RC) a stay permit for Tibetans in India and simultaneously arrival of immigration letter along with flight ticket dated for 16th April 2017 from her husband in France on the basis of family reunion.
Brief: – A Tibetan women called Mrs. Rinchen Dolma, D/o Mr. Lhalong who has escaped Tibet under Chinese regime and in exile from last many years. Her story is unique unlike many other people who visit our office on day to day basis with their own problems. She first approached our office on 28th of March 2017 along with one of her friend, asking for our assistance in procuring a Exit permit (a permit to exist/leave India after verification of any adverse nature lodged against her before the enforcement authority here in India) for her and her minor childrens in order to reunion with her husband in France.
The severity of her problem we wasn’t able to understand, as the process of Exit permit is simple and clear with certain instruction are to be followed for the procurement of the same and once own RC is mandatory for getting one, on such basis such Exit permit are issued by the authority concern after final verification is done by the jurisdictional police authority. As we enquire more into her story, we have come to know that she does not have an RC and for which she has been knocking all possible doors till date in order to receive a RC, residential stay permit from the concern authority. She further told us that she has been approaching both Tibetan security office in McLeod Ganj as well as Indian Foreigners Registration office for many years and wasn’t able to get the same.
She also narrated us that, like herself there are many other Tibetans who have escaped Tibet and are in India without any formal registration of RC. She further told us that, like her there are quite many other Tibetans in India who has given their names before Tibetan Security Department and Home department for their assistance in getting their RC, but unfortunately in vain till date and are still in process.
Story of Mrs. Rinchen Dolma was painful, with leaving her parent and family back in Tibet with a hope of securing a better life in India; in turn she was subjected to depression, constant fear of arrest and imprisonment without having proper document to stay in India. And there were several occasions when her tear falls while narrating her stories to us.
What we (Tibetan Legal Association) did on the subject:–
As an Association based completely on Law and other legal aspects ourselves (Tibetan Legal Association), we very much knew and understand what repercussion she might have to go through after disclosing her identity and specially staying in India without such permit to stay in India. Initially, we were very reluctant in approaching the concerned Indian authority not because we’re busy or with some other reasons, but with the strong believe that she might not get arrested and then she being subjected to imprisonment was our primary concern.
After further discussing the matter with her, she has brought a light grim of hope or encouragement in us to approach the Indian authority for the same. She told us that, after arriving in India she has listed her name before Department of Security, under Exile Government for the assistance in registration of her RC before the Foreigner Registration Office and so far was not able to procure the same.
Thus, we decided to visit the Foreigner Registration Office in Dharamsala and to enquire about possibilities of any assistance in her situation with her Flight ticket and Visa deadlines approaching soon. There was a constant fear looming around ourselves believing she might either get arrested or her flight tickets will go waste. With such fear, we first approached and enquired the concerned dealing officer at the FRO. And as predicted legally, there was no possibilities of executing Exit permit without having an RC, on such identity basis Exit permits are granted.
Further, she visited the same office for several times as instructed by us but in vain and finally we decided to approach various state government offices for the assistance with such dire situation of her. And likewise, we made a humble request before the Superintendent of Police Dharamsala and finally some ray of hope appeared on 5th April 2017 when the head of the FRO promised us of all possible help but after consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi.
We, didn’t give up there itself as her flight ticket day was nearing and we repeatedly visited the FRO office for the same and finally on 10th April she was asked to fill the online application for registration of RC and the next very day on 11th April she was provided with a fresh RC and simultaneously an Exist permit was issued in her name.
Finally, she happily left for New Delhi on 12th April with her two children to be reunited with their family in France.
Team, Tibetan Legal Association.