Coll 27/18 ‘Passports. Iraq. Passports for Indian pilgrims travelling to Iraq.’ [‎15r] (29/82)

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dispense with the collection of visa fees in cases where
such visas on Indian pilgrim passes were issued by British
authorities at ports other than Bombay. They conclude, how
ever, from your despatch that the Iraqi Government are no
longer open to a suggestion that visas should be dispensed
with, while the second suggestion is open to the objection
that pilgrims proceeding from ports other than Bombay would
enjoy an advantage which would tend to divert the pilgrim
traffic from Bombay and constitute a source of reasonable
grievance both to the Iraqi Government and to pilgrims who
took the Bombay route. On general grounds, moreover, it
is desirable that charges for the pilgrimage via Iraq should
be the same for pilgrims proceeding from all parts of India,
whether or not an Iraqi consular authority is stationed at
all ports of egress.
3. The Government of India are therefore prepared to
comply with the Iraqi Government’s request in the form that:-
(1) pilgrims via Bombay should be required to obtain
Iraqi visas on their pilgrim passes from the Iraqi
Consulate-General at Bombay,
(2) in the case of other ports visas for Iraq should
be given by the British authorities, and
(5) in both cases the Iraqi visa fee of 10 gold
francs (Rs.9/-) should be charged, the realisations in
the case of visas granted by the British authorities
being under the existing practice retained by the Govern
ment of India. In the latter case it will also be con
sidered whether such realisations could be credited to
the HaJ funds of the ports concerned.
Instructions to this effect are under issue.
I have, etc. . ..
(Sd). H. Metcalfe.
Foreign Secretary to the Government of India.