After e-Visa scheme, govt implements online visa services for foreigners

A scheme to provide various visa services to foreign nationals online is underway after the execution of the highly successful e-Visa scheme, the Ministry of Home Affairs said today.

This was conveyed at a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh wherein he reviewed the e-Visa scheme and the various aspects of the Foreign Contribution Regulations Act (FCRA).

Singh said the e-Visa and FCRA schemes were being implemented by the foreigners division of the home ministry with a view to improve the efficiency and transparency of various services being provided to Indian and foreign nationals.

The integrated online visa system under the immigration, visa, foreigners registration and tracking (IVFRT) project has been operationalised in 163 out of 178 Indian Missions abroad, and the biometric enrollment has been implemented in 115 Indian missions, a home ministry statement said.

"This system facilitates easy sharing and monitoring of visa data on real time basis across various immigration offices. A scheme to provide various visa services online to foreign nationals is also under implementation," it said.

The home minister appreciated the fact that the e-Visa scheme, introduced in the year 2014 for tourism category, had been extended to cover business and medical categories.

The facility is now available for nationals of 163 countries for entry into India through 25 international airports and five sea ports in the country.

Singh said the revamped FCRA website was more user-friendly, transparent and ensures hassle-free interaction of users with the government.

The website ensures that all FCRA services are available through the online mode only. For better coordination of the incoming Foreign Contributions (FC), the banks have been integrated with the FCRA System, he said.

Union home secretary Rajiv Gauba, senior officers of the ministries of home and external affairs as well as security agencies were present in the meeting.