Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday promised People of Indian Origin (PIOs) lifelong visas.
Addressing Indian Americans at the Madison Square Garden here, Prime Minister Modi said, "PIO card holders have a lot of visa issues. To combat that, we have decided they will get life-long visas. Further, the PIO and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) schemes will be combined."
"Long-term tourist visas will be introduced for U.S. citizens and American tourists will now be able to avail the facility of 'visa on arrival' scheme.
Further, foreign nationals who stay in India for a long period had to previously report to police stations. They will not have to do so now," he added.
Prime Minister Modi also announced that the upcoming 'Pravasi Bharatiya Divas', which is celebrated on January 9 every year, will be held in Ahmedabad in 2015.
"Mahatma Gandhi was an expatriate, who returned to India. The year 2015 will mark 100 years of that event. Thus, we have decided that the 'Pravasi Bharatiya Divas' will be held in Ahmedabad," he said.
