All visas suspended, no travel for OCI card holders till lockdown

Operations of flights remain closed

Wednesday, 6th May 2020

All foreign visas approved were suspended on Tuesday, by the government except for a few special cases, till the operations of flights remain closed.  

Visas granted to foreigners belonging to UN international organizations, diplomatic, official, employment and project categories will be allowed to travel, said the Ministry of Home Affairs.

OCI card holders are allowed to stay in India for “any length of time” and multiple-entry life-long visas given to Overseas Citizens of India will be suspended for time being, MHA said.

The visas of foreigners in India has been extended on ‘gratis’ basis for 30 days beyond operating of international flights, the centre said.

Any visa of foreign nationals which has expired after February 1st, midnight or during the prohibition on international travel would be extended after an online application is submitted. Extensions would be valid for 30 days after the prohibition is lifted. After that, there will be overstay penalty.

Foreign visas were suspended on the day WHO declared Covid-19 as a global pandemic, on March 11th. The borders were closed since then.

Almost 14,800 Indian nationals stranded abroad will be brought back from 7th to 13th of May by operating 64 flights and the exercise is named as “Vande Bharat Mission”.

Source: MSN