India issues guidelines on Visa and Travel restriction

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

The Government of India issued instructions regarding ‘Visa & Travel restrictions in response to COVID-19’, based on which foreign nationals can visit India by water routes or by flights operating under the ‘Vande Bharat’ mission or ‘air bubble’ (bilateral air travel arrangements) scheme or by any non-scheduled commercial flights permitted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

According to a release issued by the Indian Embassy in Kuwait, those permitted to travel to India are Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cardholders holding the passports of any country.

They also include all foreign nationals intending to visit India for any purpose (including their dependents on appropriate category of dependent visa), except those on tourist visa.

All existing visas, except electronic visa (e-visa), tourist visa and medical visa which remained suspended shall stand restored with immediate effect. Citizens of Nepal and Bhutan are permitted to come to India from any country (including via any third country).

The embassy says, the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare related to quarantine and all other health/COVID-19 must be strictly adhered to.

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