Feedback: Submission #1092

Message Dear LPAI Team,

Thank you for your kind work to ensure border security and the wish to improving processes.
Unfortunately, Me and many other foreigners have the feeling certain developments head in the qrong direction.
Just yesterday, I was passing Raxaul border and it was the worst experience I've had after passing more than 150 international borders previously.
You know that a new border facility has been set up there, though there was a perfectly working immigration office in place.
When passing through the regular border in Raxaul itself, it is no longer possible to get immigration documentation there, but every foreigner has to go to the 6km far cargo border where hardly any locals would ever cross the border.
Apart from this very unnecessary hassle, the process is completely inefficient: First, we were forced to wait 90min for some shuttle to get to the other border as it was said we could not even walk there. Once reaching the other border, we were forced to pay a 800Rs "passanger fee" for using this border facility.
Quite frankly, we did not even arrive with our own vehicle but passing the border as pedestrians. There was no way for us to even enter the immigration office without paying this unnecessarily steep fee which is only imposed to 3rd country nationals - no matter whether they live, work, study or only visit India.
This is racial harassment and I'm sure you are well aware of that.
In more than 150 different borders I have seen in my life - such an unjust behavior has never been present.
Even in your own documents available online it is said:
"Most of the services at the ICPs are free, except
those meant for trade which are charged as per the prescribed rates of tariff. At
present there is also no entry fee or usage fee for either passengers or trade."

Yet, there is an 800Rs fee ONLY for foreigners who are not doing any trade whatsoever and the border officers even threaten people and shout at them which is the most unprofessional behavior.
I sincerely hope that you are aware India is losing ever more attractiveness in international travel as the government treats foreigners differently all the time. Expats speak of daily racism and harassment and experiences like this only make it less likely that people from abroad even want to come to "incredible India"
There is no transparent communication about this issue and the only info publicly available is that "there are no fees being charged". This causes lots of inconvenience and confusion and seems like corruption imposed by a governmental body.
With this honest insight, I want to make you aware that these recent changes will only decrease Indias attractiveness and even repel people like me who spend quite some good time in this country.
Please think over what image you want to create or you will lose ever more foreign interest

Kind regards
Patrick Kludt