Central Idea

The issuance of stapled visas by China to Indian nationals from Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir has been a contentious issue between the two countries.

What is Stapled Visa?

A Stapled Visa is an unstamped piece of paper attached to the passport, different from a regular visa that is affixed and stamped.
China has been issuing stapled visas to Indian nationals from certain regions, notably Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, which are territories that China disputes with India.
By using stapled visas for residents of these regions, China is making a unilateral claim over the disputed territories, suggesting that it considers them as part of its own territory.

Sovereignty Dispute: China disputes India’s sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh and questions the legal status of the McMahon Line, the boundary agreed upon between Tibet and British India in 1914. This dispute underlies Chinese claims over the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and its repeated border transgressions into Indian Territory.
Unilateral Claim: China claims approximately 90,000 sq km of Arunachal Pradesh as its territory, referring to it as “Zangnan” or “South Tibet.” Chinese maps often depict Arunachal Pradesh as part of China.

Signaling Intentions: Chinese state media began referring to Arunachal Pradesh as “South Tibet” in 2005. In 2006, China refused to grant a visa to an Indian government official serving in Arunachal Pradesh. Subsequently, China started issuing stapled visas to all Indian citizens from Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Timeline of Events: Stapled visas for Jammu and Kashmir residents appeared around 2008-09. Over the years, China repeatedly issued stapled visas to Indian nationals, including sports athletes, weightlifters, and archers, leading to tensions between the two countries.

Protest and Diplomatic Efforts: The Indian government has consistently protested against the issuance of stapled visas and conveyed its stance to China, asserting that there should be no discrimination based on domicile or ethnicity in the visa regime for Indian citizens.
Refusal to Accept Stapled Visas: India has refused to accept stapled visas as valid travel documents and cautioned Indian citizens that such visas are not considered valid for travel out of the country.
Sovereignty Assertion: India firmly asserts its sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh and maintains that stapled visas undermine its territorial integrity.