kuwait
30/6/2010
Dear Member of the Indian Community in Kuwait,
Following the India Tourism road show held in Kuwait in October 2009, the Embassy co-hosted a week-long “Festival of India in Kuwait” in November 2009. Working Groups on Hydrocarbons (December 2009) and Labour, Employment and Manpower Development (January 2010) were convened in Kuwait as preparation for the Joint Ministerial Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation to meet in Kuwait later this year. The stand-alone visit to Kuwait from 3-4 February 2010 by External Affairs Minister HE S.M. Krishna, was the Minister’s first visit to the Gulf since taking charge of External Affairs. His meetings with HH the Amir, HH the Prime Minister, HE the Deputy PM & Foreign Minister, and others reaffirmed our close and friendly ties. An Indian Food Festival was hosted at the landmark Kuwait Towers from April 1-7, 2010. After sending four Kuwaiti newspaper journalists to India last year, we sent six more journalists to India in May 2010, leading to enhanced coverage of tourist destinations in Kerala, Goa, etc. Tourism to India was promoted at the Travel World Expo 2010 in Kuwait from May 19-22, 2010.
This letter focuses on consular/welfare issues and reiterates some of the points contained in my letters of May 26, 2009, and October 14, 2009, since we continue to receive queries about them.
Passport/Visa: The Service Centers opened at Sharq and Fahaheel on May 27, 2009, are functioning satisfactorily. Over the past year, we have maintained a turn-around delivery time of 3-4 working days after an application is made. Kindly also note that an applicant for passport/visa service can authorize another person to file his/her application through an authority letter and copy of his/her civil ID.
Consular Open House: Since October 2009, we have maintained a Consular Open House procedure at the Embassy (1000-1100 hrs & 1430-1530 hrs; all working days) by which a senior consular official can be met without appointment in the Embassy Consular Room to discuss any consular issue.
Registration of Birth/Passport for new-born baby: There is no need to bring a new-born to the Embassy or Service Centre for applying for registration of its birth/passport. Applications from parents will be accepted without the presence of the baby. If there is no alternative to bringing along the baby, kindly approach staff on duty for out-of-turn service.
Online Registration: In July 2009, the form on the Embassy website was upgraded to confirm receipt of a completed registration. Kindly register, if not done so.
Police Clearance Certificates (PCC): Embassy-issued PCCs were accepted till recently by local authorities for residency purpose. However, several weeks ago the Kuwait authorities stopped attesting PCCs issued by the Embassy, requiring instead that PCCs be issued by the authorities in the country of origin of the applicant. This is also being specified on visas issued by the Kuwait authorities. While local legal requirements have to be fully respected, our concerns on this issue were shared with the Kuwaiti authorities on several occasions over the last month and a half and their response is awaited. Meanwhile, the Embassy can only attest PCCs issued by RPOs in India, duly attested by the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, and Kuwait Embassy/Consulate in India. However, the Embassy would continue to issue PCCs to applicants who are in Kuwait on family/dependent visa as also to those who need a PCC for their stay in Kuwait in the context of their migration to a third country.
Affidavit Attestation: The attestation service at the Embassy envisages return delivery normally within 45 minutes of submission of a document. Affidavit forms on the Embassy website were upgraded in May 2009 so that they can be filled up online in English and Arabic. If you can do so, kindly type, print out and bring the completed form with you so as to save time at the Embassy.
Following special arrangements have been put in place: Attestation Service for elderly Indians: For all attestation services it is mandatory for the applicant to sign in the presence of the consular officer. However, if an applicant over 75 years is unable to come to the Embassy, an appointment can be fixed and the attestation service will be provided at the applicants residence at no additional charge on second and fourth Thursdays of each month. To avail of this fax (22573190), e-mail (hoc@indembkwt.org or fscons@indembkwt.org) or phone (22530600: Ext. 235, 278, 283 or 212). Attestation Service for other special categories: Applicants coming with infants under two years or with an evident disability or over 75 years, will get out-of-turn service at our Consular Hall.
Marriage Certificates: The Kuwait Foreign Ministry has informed all Missions about the requirement for attestation of marriage certificate by the Foreign Ministry of the country of origin for dependant visa for spouses. We requested that attestation by the Embassy of Marriage Certificates attested by the Home Department of the concerned Indian State, be accepted by the local authorities. Alternately, a marriage certificate issued by the Embassy on the basis of entries in the passports of the spouses, be accepted by the Foreign Ministry. The Kuwait authorities are considering our request.
Transportation of mortal remains: If mortal remains of an Indian national in Kuwait are to be sent to India then the Embassy will, upon request, bear the full air transportation costs and all associated incidental expenditures in all deserving/needy cases. The Embassy also has in place a support system to assist in such cases on weekend mornings, in emergency cases.
Consular access: With the cooperation of the Kuwait authorities, Embassy consular officials visit concerned police stations in Kuwait on a daily basis and pay very regular visits to jails/deportation centers in Kuwait to extend consular support and other assistance to Indians there. Since October 2009, a lawyer from the Embassy’s panel also accompanies our officials so as to provide free legal advice/support during such visits. This has been found to be extremely useful.
Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons: The working out of an agreed text of a bilateral agreement between India and Kuwait on Transfer of Sentenced Persons (Prisoners) is being actively pursued.
Iraq: As publicized through the media, effective May 4, 2010, the Government of India has decided not to extend the ban on the grant of emigration clearance, in order to facilitate travel by Indian nationals to Iraq on work and/or for visits. At the same time, Indian nationals are advised to exercise due care and caution about their personal safety and security when working in or visiting Iraq.
Conduct at Embassy premises: It is being regularly impressed on Embassy staff to invariably be polite and courteous. In this context, our consular areas are being monitored by CCTV while all consular staff are required to display their name badges on their person. At the same time, the cooperation of all is sought in maintaining decorum within Embassy premises. A person misbehaving should know that local authorities will be immediately summoned to remove them from Embassy premises, irrespective of their nationality.
Indian Workers Welfare Center (IWWC): While the approximately 600,000 strong Indian community is present in most segments of society in Kuwait, our welfare thrust remains directed at addressing concerns of our workers. Over the past year the Embassy has consistently upgraded the quality and range of its services. In August 2009, we expanded our welfare facilities and consolidated them into an “Indian Workers Welfare Center” located in the Embassy, details of which are on the Embassy web-site and are regularly projected in local newspapers. The IWWC offers:
Labour Complaints Desk (Visa 18 & 20): During 2009, the Embassy handled 4,151 labour complaints from our domestic and private sector workers. Please visit the Labour Desk at the Embassy if you have a job-related complaint.
24x7 toll free phone helpline for domestic workers (Visa 20): Inaugurated on 9 August 2009, it has systematized and enhanced our availability to an Indian domestic worker in distress. It functions round the clock through a multiple–line call-center and also provides us with a print-out of incoming call details so that calls can be tracked back to their source. It is staffed by persons who know Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Arabic and English. The helpline number is front-paged on all job contracts of Indian domestic workers attested by the Embassy so that new domestic workers know, prior to arrival here, that someone is constantly available to them.
Grievance redressal: We have considerably strengthened our grievance redressal mechanism in 2009 and are able to reasonably promptly and effectively address grievances of Indian domestic and private sector workers in Kuwait.
Since early 2009, Indian domestic workers in distress are being accommodated by the Embassy and looked after under a new arrangement, while their grievances are being addressed. On arrival, they are given a kit containing new clothes, all toiletries, and other essentials. They are also provided with bunk beds with full bedding, regular nutritious meals, and all basic amenities. To keep them in reasonably good cheer, the common areas have a TV with access to Indian cable channels, as well as a small music system with Indian CDs. 923 domestic workers were accommodated, looked after, and had their grievance addressed by us during 2009.
In case of repatriation of a domestic worker, an air ticket from Kuwait to the Indian airport nearest to their home plus sufficient cash to travel from that airport to their home town/village and pay for incidentals, is also routinely being provided by the Embassy.
Blacklisting: Where the rights of an Indian worker are violated, the Embassy has been debarring the concerned individual/company from further hires from India, besides taking other strict measures relevant to each case. Since June 2009, we have also been debarring all violators of the rights of any Indian national from availing of consular/passport/visa services. Furthermore, where our workers are concerned, details of such violators are also being shared with others.
Help Desk: Started at the Embassy in August 2009, it guides Indians on routine immigration, employment, and other issues.
Legal Advice Clinic: This Clinic now has new Kuwaiti and Indian lawyers, new equipment, and is open five times a week, rather than twice a week.
Attestation of work contracts: Our workers coming to Kuwait should only do so with work contracts attested by this Embassy. Since mid-February 2009, Domestic Sector work contracts are being accepted via Kuwait Union of Domestic Labour Offices (KUDLO). The Embassy processes and does the attestation, with documents returned via KUDLO. As regards those in the Private Sector, our attestation procedure was systematized in September 2009 and our response made time-bound. Work contracts are accepted and returned via the Embassy. Time required by us for completing the attestation procedure has been fixed at a maximum of 3 working days from date of submission of documents complete in all respects. If documents are incomplete, a communication regarding shortcomings will be sent to the applicant within 3 working days of receipt of the application.
Employment and Salaries: During 2009, the Embassy attested the work contracts of 69,363 Indians to come to Kuwait. Besides facilitating Kuwaiti companies to hire Indian nationals, we have also secured significant employment opportunities under direct sponsorship of several Kuwait Ministries, where salaries and work conditions are usually better than in the private sector. As a result, several Ministries have recruited or are recruiting nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, technicians, cleaners, etc. from India. Minimum salaries for hiring Indians were raised with effect from 19 April 2010 to match market wage rates prevalent in Kuwait
Verification of educational degrees from India: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), New Delhi, took up this issue in February 2010 with our Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), and Kuwait Embassy in New Delhi, to address causes for delay. While not directly concerned, this Embassy too formally broached the subject with the relevant Kuwaiti authorities on several occasions over the past 3-4 months, requesting expeditious action to enable timely completion of the verification process. In turn, their response was conveyed to MEA, MHRD, and Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA). We have also proposed an urgent meeting of MEA/ MHRD/MOIA officials with the Kuwait Embassy in New Delhi, to work out an efficient and transparent (perhaps web-based) degree verification procedure.
MoU on India-Kuwait Medical Cooperation: Text of this MOU has recently been agreed upon and we hope to sign it after procedural requirements are met.
Health support for Indian community: Under Kuwait Medical Association patronage, the Indian Doctors Forum, Kuwait, annually conducts several free health screening and awareness camps for Indian workers in Kuwait. Our doctors, paramedics and nurses, who volunteer their time on a holiday deserve our gratitude for doing so, as do the associations that back-stop such camps. If you have a health query, you can get a free opinion from an Indian medical specialist via the "Ask a Doctor" facility on the Embassy website at http://www.indembkwt.org/press/11aug09.htm.
Indian Cultural promotion: A “Festival of India in Kuwait” was organized by the Embassy from November 8-14, 2009, and co-hosted by our Ministry of Culture and National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, Kuwait. It was inaugurated by the Kuwaiti Minister of Oil and Minister of Information. A 130 strong contingent projected Indian performing and visual arts across Kuwait. These included Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma, Pt Rajendra Prasanna, Rimpa Siva, and Ranjana Gauhar. Eight dance troupes performed Manipuri Raas, Phung Cholam, Oppanna and Kathakali, Naga warrior dances, Dandia Raas, Garba, Chhau, Bhangra, and Odissi. Visual displays included exhibitions of Arabic calligraphy, Indian Muslim religious posters and calendar art, Indian woven textiles, traditional Indian dolls, and photographs of Mumbai through the ages. Traditional and shadow puppet shows, demonstrations of Indian textiles weaving, Madhubani folk art and henna application, were also held.
I welcome your sharing this letter amongst members of the Indian community in Kuwait. Please do also regularly visit the Embassy website at http://www.indembkwt.org/ for updated information.
With best wishes,
(signed/-)
Ajai Malhotra
Ambassador of India,
Kuwait
June 30, 2010
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