Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje's identity certificate invalid

The identity certificate of the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, who has been out of India and residing in the US since May 2017, is invalid and he has not applied for Indian visa, it has been learnt.

It was also learnt that the Karmapa holds a Dominican passport, which he never revealed to the Indian authorities. According to the procedure, the identity certificate, which is issued to stateless citizens, gets cancelled once they get a foreign passport.

It is learnt that India is ready to give him a visa and he is free to come and reside in India.

The Karmapa, who is the head of the powerful Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism, was expected to return to India to participate in 13th Religious Conference on Tibetan Buddhism that was to be organised at Dharamshala from November 29 to December 1.

However, it was indefinitely postponed due to the sudden death of Kathok Getse Rinpoche, head of the Nyingma Council, in an accident.

According to reports, the Karmapa had travelled to the US on an identification certificate. He has, however, acquired the nationality of Dominican Republic.