How diplomatic passports, visa regimes work

Subject: IR

Sec: Int convention

Context:

After allegations of sexual abuse by Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna came to light, the politician fled to Germany on a diplomatic passport.

What is a diplomatic passport? Who can get one?

Unlike normal passports, which have dark blue covers and are valid for 10 years (for adults), diplomatic passports have maroon covers, and are valid for five years or less.
Holders of such passports are entitled to certain privileges and immunities as per the international law.
Various immunities available to diplomatic passport holders are immunity from arrest, detention, and certain legal proceedings in the host country.
The MEA’s Consular, Passport & Visa Division issues diplomatic passports (‘Type D’ passports) to people falling in broadly five categories:
- those with diplomatic status;
- government-appointed individuals traveling abroad for official business;
- officers working under the branches A and B of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), normally at the rank of Joint Secretary and above; and
- relatives and immediate family of officers employed in IFS and MEA.
- Diplomatic passports are also issued to select individuals who are authorized to undertake official travel on behalf of the government.
- This includes union ministers and MPs who often travel abroad representing the government. The validity of these passports is concurrent with the term of the MP.

Why did Prajwal Revanna not need a visa to travel to Germany?

Germany is among the 34 countries with whom India has operational visa exemption agreements for holders of diplomatic passports.
According to a reciprocal deal signed in 2011, holders of Indian diplomatic passports do not require a visa to visit Germany, provided their stay does not exceed 90 days.
India has similar agreements with countries such as France, Austria, Afghanistan, Czech Republic, Italy, Greece, Iran, and Switzerland.
India also has agreements with 99 other countries wherein apart from diplomatic passport holders, even those holding service and official passports can avail operational visa exemption for stays upto 90 days.
Countries in this list include Bahrain, Brazil, Egypt, Hong Kong, Oman, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.

Who can revoke a diplomatic passport?

As per the Act, the passport authority may impound or revoke a passport in the following cases:
- if the holder is in wrongful possession, or
- if it was obtained by the suppression of material information; or
- if the passport authority deems it necessary to do so in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, or
- friendly relations of India with any foreign country.
It can also be revoked if the holder has, after the issue of the passport, been convicted by a court in India, and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years.
Finally, a diplomatic passport can be revoked upon orders from a court during proceedings with respect to an offense allegedly carried out by the passport holder before a criminal court.

About Visas:

A visa is an official document that allows the bearer to legally enter a foreign country.

The visa is usually stamped or glued into the bearer’s passport.

There are several different types of visas, each of which afford the bearer different rights in the host country.

About Henley Passport Index:

Henley Passport Index is the only one of its kind based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA).

India ranks 80th in the 2024 Henley Passport Index.

France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain hold the top spot.

India’s passport facilitates visa-free access to 62 countries.