indian visa – new rules alert!

Foreign nationals arriving in India on long term multiple entry visas are required to register with the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Officer within 14 days of arrival.  Overstayers will be fined and may be prosecuted or detained and later deported.  They may also need to appear in person at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi.  The High Commission/Deputy High Commission may not be able to intervene in these cases.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) tourists departing India will now receive a stamp in their passports indicating that they may not re-enter India for two months, regardless of their length of stay in India prior to departure. Tourists wishing to return to India before the two month period has passed will now have to visit the Indian High Commission or Consulate in the country to which they travelled or are resident and present their case for re-entry. Only those considered to have a valid case or an emergency will receive a letter granting them re-entry.

However, to facilitate bonafide tourists, it has since been decided that foreigners holding Tourist Visas, who after initial entry into India plan to visit another country and re-enter India before finally exiting, may be permitted two or three entries, as the case may be, by the Indian Missions/Posts. This will be subject to their submission of a detailed itinerary and supporting documentation (ticket bookings).

The Immigration authorities in all the Immigration Check Posts in India have also been authorised to allow toursits to make two or three entries, as the case may be, based on production of an itinerary and documentation (ticket bookings) substantiating the need for tourism related travel.  For further information you should read the frequently asked questions published on the website of the MHA: http://www.mha.nic.in/

In September of this year, the Indian media widely reported the Government of India’s enforcement of existing immigration rules. A large number of foreign nationals resident in India were found to be employed on business visas instead of employment visas. There has not been a change of policy and those found to be with the wrong visa have been asked to leave the country by 30 October and re-apply for the correct visa.

The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a series of Frequently Asked Questions intended to clarify the instances that a Business or Employment visa might be issued. These FAQs are posted on the MHA’s website and can be viewed at www.mha.nic.in/pdfs/work_visa_faq.pdf. If there remains any doubt as to the correct visa that you should be applying for, please speak to the Visa Department at the Indian High Commission.

Passport validity

Passports are required to be valid for a minimum of six months.