Immigration update: India visa liberalisation
Immigration update on India's visa practise liberalisation.
e-Visa extensions
An e-Visa can be obtained three times in a calendar year and is valid for up to 60 days. Previously non-extendable, the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) has permitted the extension of e-Visas for up to 90 days.Foreigners require a Protect Area Permit (PAP), Restricted Area Permit (RAP) and visa to visit areas that have been declared as "Restricted" or "Protected." These permits were only granted after a reference was made to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) from the State/UT Govt. State Governments or the FRROs can now make decisions locally and grant PAP or RAP to the following foreigners:- Intending to visit a place covered under the PAP/RAP regime for activities other than tourism on a Tourist Visa
- Visiting a place for tourism that is not open for tourism
- Individual tourists
Restricted area permit discontinued for 30 islands
With a view to promoting the flow of tourism and investment, 30 islands of Andaman and Nicobar have been excluded from the RAP regime. Foreigners will also be allowed to visit 11 uninhabited islands for day trips. Registration before visiting these islands has also been dispensed.Intern visa relaxation
To attract foreign interns the provisions relating to the issuance of intern visas have been liberalised. Foreign interns are now granted visas during the course of study. The minimum remuneration threshold has been reduced to 360,000 Indian Rupees per annum.Business visa registration
Business visa holders are required to register with their respective FRRO/FRO in case their stay exceeds 180 days during the calendar year.Applications may take longer to process and require additional documents. Therefore applications should be made well in advance.This summary was prepared using information obtained from an MHA press release.
Disclaimer: The above information is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have any further inquiries regarding the applicability of this information, please contact Crown World Mobility’s Regional Immigration Manager, APAC, Debra Beynon or Immigration Manager, India, Bopanna Nanjappa.Crown World Mobility tracks policy in changes in over 120 countries, so you don’t have to! Find out more.
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