Greater Noida (National Desk): An Indian travel vlogger, who goes by the name “On Road Indian” on Instagram, recently opened up about the challenges of traveling with an Indian passport. His video has gone viral and has also sparked a debate on the subject on social media.
“What I have is of no value,” the vlogger says in the video. He points to his Indian passport and explains how he has often faced mistrust and restrictions at foreign borders just because of his passport.
Sad about visa problems
The vlogger revealed that he was recently prevented from traveling to Jordan, and the reason for this was his Indian passport. He said, “Just now, entry was denied in Jordan after seeing my Indian passport.” He adds that countries like Egypt require an invitation letter to enter and in China, where other countries get 10 days visa-free transit, Indians are allowed only for 24 hours.
The vlogger says that “I have money, all documents are complete, travel history is also good, but when they see my passport, they start checking. Sometimes even deny entry.” He also adds that Indians used to get visa on arrival or visa-free facility in some countries, but now those doors are closing.
The reality of the Henley Passport Index
The vlogger’s comments are also confirmed by the Henley Passport Index 2025, according to which the Indian passport is ranked 85th in the world. This means that visa-free travel is possible only in a limited number of countries with an Indian passport, while passports of other countries have much more access.
Divided reactions on social media
The video has left netizens divided. Some agreed with the vlogger’s experience: “Bitter truth! Finally someone said that our passports have lost their value.” “We go abroad and the perception of Indians there is also due to our own bad behaviour.”
While some blamed the behaviour of Indian tourists: “We don’t deserve this because of our rude behaviour.” “We should ask ourselves why we are perceived like this. The bullying of Indian tourists at airports and the lack of manners to not break lines is a matter of shame for us.”
Is the issue not just about the passport?
The most interesting aspect of the debate was that it was not just limited to the power of the passport. Many questioned whether the behaviour and cultural consciousness of Indian tourists is also responsible for this global perception?
