A hard-hitting account of discrimination and challenges faced by Indian passport holders while travelling internationally, shared by a content creator, has sparked a conversation online.
The post was shared by Instagram user @jaystravelblog, who shared a heartfelt note on the silent burden of travelling with an Indian passport. The post begins with “The ugly side of travel I had to come across as an Indian passport holder who loves travelling. It’s not in the guidebooks…It’s in the stares. The silence. The paperwork that makes you prove your humanity”.
The creator recounted the emotional toll of having to justify short trips to embassies, often spending more time securing visas than planning the actual journey. “A border control officer, with a 3-second glance, can make me feel like a threat — before I’ve even said a word,” he noted.
“Every time I hand over my passport, I also hand over the burden of assumptions,” he wrote, highlighting the constant questions and doubts that accompany travellers from developing countries like India.
The account reflected on how rejections are often delivered without explanation, leaving behind feelings of humiliation and helplessness. “We dress a certain way. Speak softer. Carry more documents. Plan escape routes through countries that are ‘easier,’” he wrote, describing the silent strategies employed to navigate bias.
Online reactions have poured in support for the user and praised his candid narrative, describing it as a long-overdue conversation. One user wrote, “This is such a needed post! Thank you for writing this. As a fellow travel enthusiast, this hits hard".
The post ends with a message of solidarity. “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.”
The post was shared by Instagram user @jaystravelblog, who shared a heartfelt note on the silent burden of travelling with an Indian passport. The post begins with “The ugly side of travel I had to come across as an Indian passport holder who loves travelling. It’s not in the guidebooks…It’s in the stares. The silence. The paperwork that makes you prove your humanity”.
The creator recounted the emotional toll of having to justify short trips to embassies, often spending more time securing visas than planning the actual journey. “A border control officer, with a 3-second glance, can make me feel like a threat — before I’ve even said a word,” he noted.
“Every time I hand over my passport, I also hand over the burden of assumptions,” he wrote, highlighting the constant questions and doubts that accompany travellers from developing countries like India.
The account reflected on how rejections are often delivered without explanation, leaving behind feelings of humiliation and helplessness. “We dress a certain way. Speak softer. Carry more documents. Plan escape routes through countries that are ‘easier,’” he wrote, describing the silent strategies employed to navigate bias.
Online reactions have poured in support for the user and praised his candid narrative, describing it as a long-overdue conversation. One user wrote, “This is such a needed post! Thank you for writing this. As a fellow travel enthusiast, this hits hard".
The post ends with a message of solidarity. “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.”
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