‘Indian passports are not the best’: Visa experts react to influencer denied entry to Jeju Island; ‘Avoid areas with special status’

Responding to Indian content creator Sachin Awasthi’s experience of being detained in Jeju Island, visa expert Priyesh Sharma said that Indian passports are not the best and even Shah Rukh Khan was detained. It doesn’t matter to the host country whether you are a celebrity or have a lot of social media followers. “You can be a big shot in India and have millions of followers and they (immigrants in the host country) won’t care, remember people like Shah Rukh Khan were detained, so who are the people like you and me? Unless you have an MEA contact on speed dial, use Indian passports with caution,” Sharma said. He added that Indians should avoid traveling to areas with special status that may be “visa-free but can be very cruel for Indians”.

What happened to Sachin Awasthi in Jeju Island?

Indian content creator Sachin Awasthi said he and his wife were detained on Jeju Island for 38 hours after being denied entry. They were held in a detention center, which Avasti said was like a prison, with no sunlight or access to the outside world. They had no idea what was going on and were forced to book an expensive return ticket. “I’m not sharing this to gain sympathy or to be farcical. Immigration decisions are their authority. But they don’t have any right to treat us like criminals,” Awasutu said.

Where is Jeju Island? What are Visa requirements for Indians?

Jeju Island is located in South Korea. But it is one of the three autonomous provinces in South Korea. The island has a special visa-free entry program unlike the rest of South Korea. Indians can enter Jeju Island without a visa, but to do so they must come directly from foreign countries and not through any mainland Korean airport – as then they would need a Korean visa.