Air India Crash Row: MHA Clarifies Visa Fee Rules After Passenger’s Father Alleges Rs 1.16 Lakh Demand by Immigration Officer

New Delhi: Amid emotional turmoil following the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171 near Ahmedabad airport, a fresh controversy erupted after a grieving father alleged that an immigration officer demanded £1,000 (approx. ₹1,16,813) from his family before they were allowed to board the ill-fated flight to London’s Gatwick Airport.

Manish, the father of one of the victims, told reporters: “My daughter, her 15-month-old son, and her mother-in-law were on the flight. Before boarding, the family was stopped by an immigration officer and asked to pay 1,000 pounds to be allowed on the flight. They were not allowed to board despite having British passports.”

He further claimed the officer insisted on an additional clearance for the child, stating he was born and raised in Nagpur—even though the child, Rudra Kishan Modha, already had a valid British passport.

In response to the allegations, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an official clarification on Friday, stating that due procedure was followed under the immigration guidelines and rules related to visa overstays.

As reported by ANI, MHA sources confirmed that Rudra Kishan Modha was born on August 22, 2023, and his British passport was issued on April 10, 2024. This led immigration authorities to conclude that the child had overstayed in India by 1 year, 2 months, and 2 days, thus falling under the category requiring penalties and visa fees.

According to the MHA:

• A visa fee of US$ 484 (₹41,410) is applicable for overstaying beyond one year.
• An additional penalty of ₹50,000 is charged for overstaying more than 90 days.
• The total amount payable was ₹91,140, which aligns with the standard procedure.

MHA officials emphasized that foreign nationals who overstay in India are subject to the following penalties:

• 1–15 days: No penalty
• 16–30 days: ₹10,000
• 31–90 days: ₹20,000
• Beyond 90 days: ₹50,000

As per immigration rules, children below the age of 16 are exempt from registration under the Foreigners Registration Office (FRRO) guidelines. However, this exemption does not extend to visa overstay penalties, especially if the individual holds foreign citizenship and exceeds permissible stay duration.

The ministry also reiterated that registration certificates of foreign nationals should be surrendered either at the registration office of origin or at the immigration checkpoint while exiting the country.