Govt to allow spouses of Indian nationals to convert visa category even if married abroad

Spouses of the Indian nationals getting married abroad will no longer have to face difficulties in converting their tourist visa to dependent visa as the government plans to change existing rules.

The move came after the Philipino spouse of an Indian national, who married outside the country, faced difficulties in converting her tourist visa to X2 (dependent visa) as the existing visa rules did not permit to do so. The husband had complained to Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

"We are doing away with the particular rule and simplifying it so that irrespective of the place of the wedding , the foreign spouse can convert their tourist visa to dependent visa," a senior Home Ministry official said.

As per the visa manual, tourist visa can be converted to X2 visa only when the marriage takes place in India and gets registered within the validity of the present tourist visa.

Contrary to that, if anyone wants to do so has to go back to his or her country and come back on X2 visa.

With the amendment of the visa rules and streamlining the process, the conversion of tourist visa to X2 would be allowed even if the marriage takes place on foreign soil.

However, the facility will not be offered to the nationals of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan and Iraq, and citizens of Pakistani origin and stateless persons.

Addressing the Parliamentary Consultative Committee last week, the Home minister had said that the government would facilitate safe and convenient entry inside the country to legitimate international travellers and provide all visa-related and consular services to foreigners staying in India in a faster and convenient mode.