Govt Eases Travel Restrictions For Foreign Nationals; Permits Certain OCI Card Holders To Visit India

Married couples where one spouse is OCI cardholder and the other person is Indian national can visit India. Students who are OCI cardholders where at least one of their parents is Indian citizen/OCI cardholder may also travel to India.

MHA has permitted certain categories of foreigners including OCI cardholders. (File Photo/ AFP)

New Delhi: Ever since the nationwide lockdown was announced in the backdrop of Coronavirus, foreign nationals were not allowed to visit India. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday eased some restrictions on international travelers and allowed certain categories of foreigners, including Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders, to enter India.  As per the latest update, MHA has permitted certain categories of foreigners including Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders to enter India which includes-minors who hold OCI cards and whose parents are Indian nationals, OCI cardholders who wish to come to India on account of family medical emergencies or death. Moreover, married couples where one spouse is OCI cardholder and the other person is Indian national can visit India. Students who are OCI cardholders where at least one of their parents is Indian citizen/OCI cardholder may also come back to India. The Centre has also allowed the foreign nationals who are minor children where at least one of their parents is an Indian citizen or an OCI cardholder, foreign nationals married to Indian citizens. Similarly, 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 will also be allowed to visit India.

However, MHA said that these foreign nationals will have to obtain a fresh visa of appropriate category from the Indian Missions and posts abroad.

Foreign nationals holding a valid long term multiple entry visa of appropriate category issued by the Indian missions and posts abroad shall have to get the visa re-validated from the Indian Mission and post concerned. Such foreign nationals will not be permitted to travel to India on the strength of any electronic visa obtained earlier.