AGRA: Stephen Gomez (40) and Alexandra Forero (34), a couple from Bogota in Colombia who landed in India shortly before demonetisation and got dollars worth a lakh rupees exchanged at the airport, are now stuck in Agra with valid cash of just Rs 500 which is barely sufficient to pay for their next frugal meal.“I don’t have an Indian bank account. We realized one fine morning just a few days after we landed in Delhi that all our cash was invalid. We sustained on my credit card for a couple of days after which it was blocked due to too many transactions,” Gomez told TOI, holding a wad of cash he didn’t know what to do with. The couple landed in Delhi on November 4 on a month-long trip.“ATMs do not have money. Banks have long queues. Foreign tourists are allowed to only exchange Rs 5,000 a week which doesn’t even sustain us for a day. People are overcharging us everywhere in the name of invalid currency that’s all we are left with now,” Alexandra said, adding they still had Rs 20,000 in old currency “which might end up in a waste bin”.The couple reached Agra on Sunday after their trip to Rishikesh, Varanasi, Khajuraho and Dharamsala. They are staying at a budget hotel in Agra, which they had booked in advance. Gomez said he was very worried as he had no money to pay hotels bills as well.“After the currency ban, I was able to spend Rs 20,000 but had to pay 10-15% commission for getting them accepted or exchanged. At many places, we are forced to spend more as in that case only people were ready to accept these banned notes. It does not make sense,” Gomez said. The couple, now stuck in Agra, wanted to visit Jaipur and Nepal but were forced to change their itinerary.“This is my second visit to India in five years. Last time, it was very good, but this time around, I do not have money to pay for food. I will try my luck tomorrow once again. If we are able to exchange money I will stay, or else I will have no choice but to go back home. Luckily, we have our train tickets to Delhi,” Alexandra added.Scarcity of cash at foreign exchange counters as well as ATMs in the country coupled with the government’s move capping the quantum of exchange to Rs 5,000 per week for foreign passport holders as part of its demonetisation of old currency notes has caused much inconvenience to foreign tourists.Sandeep Arora, president, Agra Tourism Development Foundation, said, “Foreign tourists and hotels are in big trouble due to demonetisation. We are facing a lot of embarrassing situations and not able answer their queries. We draw blank when they ask whether these currencies are ‘black money’. The government should do something as the move is earning bad name for the country.”The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), India Chapter, has demanded an increase in the withdrawal limit for foreign tourists from Rs 5000 per week to a realistic Rs15,000 per week. “According to RBI guidelines, a tourist holding a foreign passport has to submit a self-declaration stating that this facility has not been availed during the week. However, to survive on Rs 5,000 for week is both unrealistic and challenging for a tourist. Before the demonetisation drive, foreign passport holders were allowed to exchange up to US $3,000 (Rs 2 lakh) at a time while they could bring up to $10,000 with them,” said MS Chawla, former president, ASTA, India Chapter, and member of Travel Agents Association of India.