By SOMAN BABY

ALL Indian jobseekers will be urged to check the status of their visa online before leaving their country.

The move follows an incident in which three Indian nationals were arrested at Bahrain International Airport while trying to enter Bahrain with fake visas.

“The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) has introduced a transparent system, whereby all job seekers can learn the status of their visas online by entering their passport number on the website: www.lmra.bh,” said Indian Embassy charge d’ affaires Ajay Kumar.

“We are investigating how these Indian nationals travelled on fake visas to Bahrain.

“We are also trying to help repatriate them with the help of community organisations.”

Mr Kumar appealed to Indian nationals in Bahrain to alert their friends and relatives back home in India against middlemen who try to exploit job seekers.

Meanwhile, Kerala State Recruiting Agents Association president B Vivek said the matter would be taken up with the Overseas Indian Affairs Ministry, Indian immigration authorities and the Kerala police.

“We want to know how the immigration authorities at Calicut airport allowed these people to board the flight,” he noted.

“Immigration clearance is usually granted after the immigration authorities are satisfied that the visas they hold are genuine.

“Also, they usually insist on a ‘visa on arrival’ message from the concerned airline before they are allowed to board.”

Mr Vivek, who was in Bahrain on a short visit, said letters would be sent to Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and Kerala Director General of Police Jacob Punnoose.

“In similar cases, very often the recruiting agents in India are blamed,” he noted.

“In this case, the fake visas are arranged by someone in Bahrain. We, therefore, appeal to the authorities to carry out a full investigation.”