‘Treated Like Threat': Indian Solo Traveller's Note On Passport Discrimination

News18

3 days ago

Last Updated:
Treated with suspicion, more than planning his trips, he claimed he was forced to spend hours proving his identity to the airport authorities and assuring them of his return.
A 22-year-old vlogger and solo traveller grabbed the internet's attention, as he detailed the ordeals faced while carrying an Indian passport. Jayant Sharma, who goes by 'jaystravelblog' on Instagram, revealed his travelling struggles and how he was subjected to greater scrutiny than other foreign travellers. 'The ugly side of travel I had to come across as an Indian passport holder who loves travelling," he captioned the post, which highlighted the disrespect faced by many Indian travellers.
Treated with suspicion, more than planning his trips, Sharma claimed he was forced to spend hours proving his identity to the airport authorities and assuring them of his return. He wrote in his viral post, 'It's in a fact that I've had to justify why I deserve a 7-day trip. That I've spent more time convincing embassies I'll 'come back' than planning where I'll go. That a border control officer, with a 3-second glance, can make me feel like a threat — before I've even said a word."
'It's not in the guidebooks. Not on the reels. Not in the sunsets, the flights, or the airport lounges. It's in the stares. The silence," wrote the vlogger, underlining how it is not all hunky-dory for solo Indian travellers as it may seem.
Like Sharma, many Indians are subjected to excess scrutiny on arrival in another country. The vlogger said the immigration refuses to be a checkpoint and becomes a scary place, where Indian passport holders are bombarded with questions and are observed more closely by the security personnel, made to feel as if they have committed a crime.
'No one says it, but I know: They don't always see a traveller. They see a risk. A potential overstayer. A brown skin man with a passport is trying to pass through. And what hurts most is… we know this. We prepare for it. We dress a certain way. Speak softer. Carry more documents. Plan escape routes through countries that are 'easier". We smile too much — not out of joy, but out of fear of being misunderstood," wrote Sharma.
It seems that for young solo travellers, the real headache is not choosing where to go but proving that they will come back. Sharma's post touched many other Indian travellers, who related to his struggles and felt sorry that he was subjected to such treatment repeatedly. 'This is such a needed post! Thank you for writing this. As a fellow travel enthusiast, this hits hard," commented one user under the post.
Another one added, 'Definitely true. Deep topic, pros and cons, but one part is certainly true: no one deserves to be treated that way and questioned because of where they come from."
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