Indian Visa norms liberalised |
India`s home ministry has liberalised India`s visa rules to simplify the entry of foreign nationals and give them greater flexibility in terms of permitted activities. The main visa categories, apart from those issued for long ¬term visits and to SAARC members and Overseas Citizens of India, have been scaled down to 21 from 26 by clubbing common groupings. These include combining the medical attendant and medical visas, project and employment visas, internship and research with student visas and sports with business Visas. The ministry of home affairs has recently made amendments in various chapters of the visa manual. These include permitting a foreign national on tourist visa to attend an international conference, and expanding other activities permitted under tourist and e-¬tourist visas, permitting a person of Indian origin, or spouse/children of an Indian citizen to undertake employment or business or studies or research without converting the visa to the appropriate category. Foreign tourist arrivals increased by 1.9% to 3.93 million in the first four months of 2019 after registering subdued growth in 2018, according to the tourism ministry. Certain provisions have been added for nationals of the Maldives. This follows the signing of an agreement on facilitation of visa arrangements between India and the Maldives.
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