NEW DELHI: The union home ministry on Thursday announced an easing of visa and travel restrictions for foreign and Indian nationals who wish to enter or leave the country.
Barring electronic and tourist visas, the ministry has said that it is restoring, with immediate effect, all categories of visas that will allow foreign nationals, Indians, as well as those who hold Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cards as well as People of Indian Origin (PIO) card holders to enter the country through authorized airports and seaport immigration check posts.
The categories of visas using which people can now enter India include business, conferences, employment, studies, research, and medical purposes, the ministry said.
In the case of a foreign national wishing to visit India for medical treatment, he or she will need to apply for a fresh visa under this category, the ministry said. If approved, one attendant of the person wanting to avail of medical treatment will also be given a visa, it added.
The decision is seen as part of a series of measures aimed at supporting others already taken to bring in normalcy to spur economic growth after a stringent lockdown earlier this year that brought economic activity to a standstill.
“The Government has now decided to make a graded relaxation in visa and travel restrictions for more categories of foreign nationals and Indian nationals who wish to enter or leave India,” the statement issued by the Home Ministry said.
“Therefore, it has been decided to permit all OCI and PIO card holders and all other foreign nationals intending to visit India for any purpose, except on a Tourist Visa to enter by air or water routes through authorized airports and seaport immigration check posts,” it said.
“This includes flights operated under Vande Bharat Mission, Air Transport Bubble arrangements or by any non scheduled commercial flights as allowed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation,” the statement said. The reference was to “air bubble arrangements” with more than a dozen countries including Bangladesh, Oman, Kenya, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Canada, France, UAE, UK and USA. As on 14 October, India had put in place such arrangements with 17 countries.
It however sounded a warning that all such travelers coming into India will have to adhere to the government stipulations on quarantine and covid-19 testing.
“All such travelers will, however have to strictly adhere to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding quarantine and other health/covid-19 matters,” it said.
The easing of visa norms comes almost seven months after India imposed some of the strictest norms to stem the transmission of covid-19 in a country with over 1.3 billion people. India imposed a complete lockdown on 24 March that was in place till early June.
