A content creator has sparked an online discussion after shedding light on the challenges of travelling with an Indian passport. "The ugly side of travel I had to come across as an Indian passport holder who loves travelling," Jayant Sharma wrote in the caption of his Instagram post. In it, he listed several points to explain how Indian passport holders often face stricter scrutiny. Instead of simply planning his trips, he said he spends more time proving that he intends to return home.
"It's not in the guidebooks. Not on the reels. Not in the sunsets, the flights, or the airport lounges. It's in the stares. The silence," he wrote. "It's in the fact that I've had to justify why I deserve a 7-day trip. That I've spent more time convincing embassies I'll 'come back' than planning where I'll go. That a border control officer, with a 3-second glance, can make me feel like a threat - before I've even said a word," the content creator continued.
Further, Mr Sharma said that every time he hands his passport to an immigration officer, he also hands over the "burden of assumptions". According to him, an immigration office is a place where Indian passport holders are asked more questions, observed more closely and often made to feel like a "risk" instead of a tourist.
"And what hurts most is... we know this. We prepare for it. We dress a certain way. Speak softer. Carry more documents. Plan escape routes through countries that are "easier." We smile too much - not out of joy, but out of fear of being misunderstood," he wrote.
"This is the ugly side of travel. And I carry it with me - every time I board a plane. Every time I pass through immigration. Every time I see someone else just walk through while I'm being questioned. This is not a pity post. It's a reality check. For every Indian traveller who has felt humiliated, delayed, dismissed - I see you. And I hope someday we don't have to fight to prove we simply want to explore," he added.
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Since being shared, Mr Sharma's post has gone viral. While some users praised him for his honesty, others thanked him for speaking out about an experience they have also gone through.
"This is such a needed post! Thank you for writing this. As a fellow travel enthusiast, this hits hard," one user wrote.
"I felt this post to my core as a third world traveler . It's so true just because of the passport we hold. We go through every passport control ready for scrutiny. Thank you for sharing," commented another.
"Thanks for putting it out there so honestly. The world needs to reflect on these things," expressed a third user.
"Passport privilege is a real thing. Its wild to me that so many people don't need visas or even their passports to cross borders," said another.
"Definitely true. Deep topic, pros and cons, but one part is certainly true: no one deserves to be treated that way and questioned because of where they come from. Sure some differences and reality caused this, but it's a problem to be solved," one user said.
