New Delhi: A day after Indian travel influencer Sachin Awasthi spoke about being detained and deported from South Korea’s Jeju Island in a widely shared video, the Indian embassy in Seoul issued a detailed advisory asking Indian travellers to exercise caution when using the island’s visa-waiver programme.
The advisory followed a widely shared video by Sachin Awasthi, an Indian travel vlogger, who said he and his wife were denied entry upon arrival in late December and held overnight in what he described as “jail-like conditions” before being sent back.
“Entry under the Jeju visa free facility is permitted strictly for short term tourism,” the embassy wrote, emphasising that ‘final admission’ is determined solely by immigration authorities at Jeju International Airport and that the waiver “does not guarantee entry.”
The embassy added that, from time to time, it receives reports of inconveniences faced by Indian travellers upon arrival in Jeju Island. These include denial of entry or even repatriation under the visa waiver scheme for travelling there.
The embassy advised travellers to carry printed copies of confirmed return tickets, hotel reservations, a detailed day-by-day itinerary, proof of sufficient funds, a passport valid for at least six months, and, preferably, travel insurance.
It warned that passengers unable to clearly explain their travel plans could face denial of entry. The mission also noted it could not overturn decisions made by South Korean immigration authorities, though it would seek consular access in case of detention.
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‘Worst 24 hours’
The advisory came after Awasthi recounted what he called “the worst 24 hours of my life.” In his video, he said that he and his wife had researched Jeju’s visa-free policy, which allows Indian passport holders to enter the island directly without a mainland South Korean visa, provided they arrive on an international flight and do not travel onward to the mainland.
“Denying entry is their right,” he said in his video. “But such treatment with us was not justified in any way.”
He alleged that after being refused entry, the couple was placed in a holding facility with limited movement and basic meals until a return flight could be arranged. Under international aviation rules, airlines are generally responsible for transporting passengers back if they are denied entry.
South Korean immigration authorities have not publicly commented on the case.
Jeju, officially known as Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, operates under a special administrative framework intended to promote tourism and foreign investment. As part of that effort, it has long maintained a limited visa-waiver scheme for nationals of many countries arriving directly from overseas.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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