The consultancies simply take passports and photographs from their clients and charge anywhere between Rs 40,000 to Rs 100,000 for their service. They, in collaboration with DoI officials, then either add or change the names of the people in the registration papers of those companies/individuals already registered with the Government of Nepal. They accomplish this within three to seven days. [break]
A normal visa registration clearance requires a minimum of 45 days and applicants pay anywhere between Rs 300,000 to Rs 400,000 for it depending on the kind of businesses they are willing to invest in Nepal.
When asked about such illegal visa practices, Director General of DoI, Begendra Raj Sharma Poudyal, refused to comment.
Myrepublica.com has, however, found specific cases of irregularities and identified some Chinese firms involved in practices.
The Department of Immigration´s visa record list now contains a large number of Chinese names, the whereabouts and details of which are unknown. There are also names of companies which do not exist at all. For instance, along with some genuine Chinese hoteliers, many names have been added on the list under the same company registration.
"Eight people´s names have been added to the registration number of my company, but I do not know who they are," a Chinese restaurant owner told myrepublica.com on condition of anonymity.
There are many such examples from the list. There are seven names under China Hotel, but little is known who these people are or where the hotel is located.
Similarly, Nepal Sky Tel, New Road, which is registered as a cell phone company is non-existent in New Road.
The other names are Thai Chyang Software Pvt Ltd, CN Green House Pvt Ltd, Kunlun Motorcycle (15 names exist under this company), and others. There are 268 Chinese on the business visa list. The DoI could not verify or give details of the above mentioned people and the companies.
One consultancy, Nepal Foreign Direct Investment Consultancy Service Pvt Ltd in Thamel has been found to run illegal visa channel in cahoots with DoI officials. The signboard of the company in Chinese reads: "Foreigners investing in Nepal; government application inquiry center/consultancy."
When contacted, its owner Sun Yanhua, who has been running a restaurant called Teng Long Hotel at the same spot, said, "We only help those wanting to do business here." She added, "We run this consultancy as many Chinese face language problems and don´t understand the rules and regulations here."
Admitting that she "helps" businessmen acquire visa, Yanhua said, "We get the licenses for the clients for various businesses."
She also informed that her Nepali partners -- Niraj Koirala and BN Dhungana -- are currently "out of town". She, however, declined to reveal any documents or to show any license certificates in her possession to run the consultancy. She also told myrepublica.com photographer not to take her pictures. In addition, she refused to divulge details about the number and backgrounds of of her clients.
Yanhua has been in Kathmandu for nine years. Before starting the consultancy and the hotel some eight months ago, she said she was associated with China-Nepal Friendship Hospital located at Baluwatar. The DoI, however, could not produce Yanhua´s visa details. Her name was not included either in the Hotel or the Hospital´s registration records at the DoI.
Chinese embassy sources have said her husband, Lou Chigang, was deported by the Chinese embassy to China last year on charge of involvement in "illegal" means to acquire Nepali business visas to Chinese.
The DoI had initiated some investigations some three months ago and called the attention of the Ministry of Industry to some irregularities in the office in business visa clearance. A complaint was filed against then section officer Gopal Krishna Koirala at the visa section of DoI.
He was then transferred to the ministry after his promotion to the post of under secretary. He is now back to DoI and is appointed at the administration section.
"A complaint was filed at the ministry against Koirala who was found to be collaborating with lawyers and some consultants to issue business visas," an official of DoI told myrepublica.com. Koirala, however, denied the allegations and said, "I was transferred to prepare the final draft of the industry policy paper."
The immigration office, National Investigation Department, which is under the Home Ministry, and the DoI together are responsible bodies to inspect and monitor foreigners working in Nepal and check such illegal practices.
Department of Immigration too said that it is "unaware" of such activity. "We issue visas strictly under the recommendation of the Department of Industry," Shesh Narayan Paudel, immigration officer, said, adding, "We are unaware of such a consultancy involved in visa issuance."
(Trilokya Aryal helped with Chinese translation for the story.)
akanshya@myrepublica.com
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