New Delhi, Mar 4 : The Government today said stapled visas attached to passports are not considered a valid document for travel abroad.

Replying in the Rajya Sabha to a question in reference to Indian Nationals with a Chinese visa on a separate sheet of paper stapled to their passport travelling to China via Hong Kong, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said,our stand in the matter is that we refuse to accept any visa on a White paper which is stapled to a Passport. Such stapled visas are not valid for travel abroad by the Government. The Minister said the Indian Government had taken up the matter with the Chinese Government at various fora.

Informing that the Chinese Government had resorted to this practice only in the last two years, Mr Krishna said,''we have told the Chinese authorities that any stapled visas on an Indian passport are not acceptable.'' --UNI