NEW DELHI: Three months after banning foreigners from entering India due to coronavirus situation, the Centre on Friday lifted curbs on entry of five categories of foreign nationals to India--those who wish to come to the country on account of family emergencies and could not come due to the lockdown imposed to curb COVID-19.
Foreigners who are minor children and have at least one parent who is an Indian citizen or an OCI cardholder, foreigners married to Indian citizens, foreigners who are single parents of minor children holding Indian passports or OCI cards, students who are foreign nationals where at least one of their parents is an Indian citizen or an OCI cardholder are now allowed to come to the country.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs also permitted another category of foreign nationals to visit India--dependent family members of foreign diplomats and official/service passport holding service staff accredited to foreign diplomatic missions, consular offices or accredited international organisations in India.
The order issued by the foreigners division of MHA specified that the five categories of foreigners will have to obtain a fresh visa of appropriate category from Indian missions/posts abroad. “Foreign nationals holding a valid long term multiple entry visa of appropriate category issued by the Indian missions/ posts abroad shall have to get the visa revalidated from Indian missions/posts concerned. Such Foreign nationals will not be permitted to travel to India on the strength of any electronic visa obtained,” the order stated.
The government made a similar exemption for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders on May 22 and allowed four categories of OCIs, who were stranded abroad to come to the country.
On March 12, the government had suspended all tourist and student visas as well as the visa-free entry of Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cardholders beginning March 13, 2020.
On March 18, the government suspended visa-free entry facility granted to Overseas Citizen of India cardholders amid the outbreak of COVID-19.
Minor children born to Indian nationals abroad and holding OCI cards, couples where one spouse is an OCI cardholder and the other an Indian national and they have a permanent residence in India, and university students who are OCI cardholders (not legally minors) but whose parents are Indian citizens living in India were allowed to visit the country through the May 22 order.
India went into strict lockdown on March 25 to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The lockdown was first extended till May 3 and then again till May 17. It was further extended till May 31. The lockdown is now restricted mostly to containment zones across the country and will continue till June 30. A large number of social, economic, religious, and sports activities are currently allowed to function, under what the MHA has termed as “Unlock 1”.
International arrivals to India were banned with effect from March 25 when the first phase of nationwide lockdown was announced and resumption of international flights will be considered in the third phase of unlocking the lockdown.