Aung San Suu Kyi's visit to India last year re-ignited hope in the hearts of many Myanmarese refugees, but they still prefer to live in India under the refugee tag. In picture: A refugee running a roadside shop in Budhela, West Delhi. File Photo: V. V. Krishnan
Refugees from Myanmar, especially the Rohingya Muslims, cite violence in their native Rakhine province as the reason for not returning. In picture: A refugee from Myanmar in Budhela — which is also known as 'Burma Town' given its considerable population of refugees . File photo: V. V. Krishnan
According to a 2009 Refugee International survey, there are 50,000 to 100,000 displaced Myanmarese in India — mostly in the north-eastern states, Jammu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. Here, refugee children learn how to use computers at a UNHCR centre in Budhela. File photo: V. V. Krishnan
UNHCR estimates in 2012 say that over 10,000 Myanmarese refugees, spread across several ethnicities and backgrounds, live in Delhi. Here, a refugee is being taught sewing at the UNHCR centre in Budhela. Photo: V. V. Krishnan
Most of the Chin refugees, who are Christians, live in Vikaspuri. The Rohingyas live in Kanchan Kunj, which is on the outskirts of the city near Kalindi Kunj. A file photo shows a refugee child on a rickshaw in Budhela. Photo: V. V. Krishnan
It has been a year since the Indian Government announced the long-term visa facility for refugees, but procedural delays have made obtaining one an uphill climb. A Myanmarese refugee child hones her violin skills at her residence in Budhela. File photo: V. V. Krishnan
The lack of a long-term visa not only means diminished employment opportunities, but also hefty fines and fees associated with renewal, making each day a fight for survival for these people. In photo: A Myanmarese refugee rickshaw puller ferrying passengers in Budhela. File photo: V. V. Krishnan