Chennai: Immigration authorities at Chennai airport have deported 19 UK citizens who came to attend a charity at a children’s home.

The UK citizens — 16 students and three staff members from Poynton High School in Manchester in the UK — were told that they could not enter the country using their visa they because they were going to work in an NGO in Chennai.

The children landed in Chennai carrying crates of materials to be distributed to children’s homes supported by an NGO, India Direct.

The students had to wait 11 hours before they could board a return flight. The teacher who accompanied the children were interviewed for two and half hours by the immigration officials.

Immigration officials refused to give information on the issue and also did not say what visa they were holding, reported The Times of India.

India Direct told TOI: “They all had valid tourist visas. Our itinerary included a day at each children’s home where they would play with the children and do crafts like painting, face painting and mask making. We were to go to a village with no medical facilities and play with the village children while family members were waiting to be seen by a doctor. The visa application eligibility criteria don’t not preclude this.”

The NGO said: “The team did not and do not feel this equates to working or volunteering for an NGO.”

Earlier, on its Facebook page, India Direct said: “On Monday, July 17, 2017, sixteen students and three staff members flew out to Chennai, India, to once again visit and support this great charity. However, they were turned back at immigration and refused entry into the country. Chennai airport immigration officials claimed that the group had no rights to enter the country on their visa because they were going to be undertaking work with a non-governmental organisation.”

“In reality, the students were going to visit children’s homes that they have raised thousands of pounds for, and to experience the rich, diverse and exciting culture of the region. Extensive efforts were made to get the immigration official’s decision overturned, but to no avail. The students and staff returned to Manchester, via Dubai, landing at Manchester airport in the early hours of Wednesday morning, along with the toys and stationery that they had taken over for the children in the homes.”

As you can imagine the staff and students are in a state of tired shock, having travelled for 48 hours as a round trip.”

The BBC quoted Poynton High School head teacher David Waugh as saying that “They were going to play with the children they have helped and paint a mural. The staff and students are in a state of tired shock having travelled for 48 hours as a round trip.”