Visa Policy

Henley Index: Singapore's passport is world's strongest, India at 80th spot

Singaporean passport holders enjoy visa-free access to 193 out of 227 destinations worldwide, placing the country at the top of the list

Atlys' Mohak Nahta launches Skylane to modernise government visa systems

Through its innovative technology including 24/7 SkyPods, Skylane aims to process over 100 million visas in the next five years, making global mobility seamless for travellers everywhere

IESA hails govt's move to ease visa application process for PLI-businesses

Industry body India Energy Storage Alliance on Friday hailed the government's move to create a portal for smoother business visa applications for foreign experts engaged by Indian companies under production-linked incentive scheme and associated industries. Multiple-entry business visa (non-extendable) will be facilitated for six months to foreign subject matter specialists/engineers/ technical people being engaged by Indian companies under the PLI scheme or PLIassociated industries by the approval of the respective line ministry, a statement by India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) stated. According to the statement, this will apply to personnel required for installation and commissioning, quality check & essential maintenance, production, IT & DRP ramp-up, training, supply chain development for empanelling vendors, plant design & bring-up, and senior management & executive. IESA president Debi Prasad Dash welcomed the government's move to support in providing business

Free visa for Indians despite Neeraj Chopra's silver in Olympics: Atlys CEO

There are no appointments available for the US visa for the next year, according to Atlys

Thailand to offer visa-free travel for Indian travellers, starting June

Starting next month, Thailand will permit remote workers, graduate students, and retirees from 93 nations to stay for up to 60 days

Maldives deports 186 foreigners, including 43 Indians, on visa violations

The Maldives has deported 186 foreigners, including 43 Indians, after accusing them of committing crimes like visa violations and drug offences, according to a media report. The highest number of people deported was from Bangladesh. At least 83 Bangladeshis were deported followed by 43 Indians, 25 Sri Lankans and 8 Nepalis. The date of their deportation is not yet known, Male-based news outlet Adhadhu reported. The deportations come as efforts are underway in the Maldives to shut down businesses operated illegally. Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusan said at a press briefing on Tuesday that the ministry was working together with the Economic Ministry to take action against illegal businesses operating under various names. These include both registered and unregistered businesses, the minister noted. Such businesses include those operated by a foreigner instead of the registered owner, Home Minister Ihusan said. The Home Ministry was working on shutting down such businesses and .

Govt may further streamline visa approval process for Chinese technicians

The government is considering further streamlining of processes for timely approval of visas for Chinese professionals and technicians whose expertise is required by the Indian industry to set up manufacturing capacity, a senior official said. Certain Indian industry players have approached the government stating that they are facing problems in getting visas for Chinese professionals whose expertise is required for things like setting up machines in factories. The government has recently put in place a standard operating procedure (SOP) for streamlining visa approvals for Chinese technicians whose expertise is required by vendors under the PLI (Production Linked Incentive) scheme. "Now we may be liberalising it for others. That process is on and a Cabinet note is under preparation. Within the existing system, there is an SOP now to expedite visas for Chinese who are to come in to help set up manufacturing capacity in India. We have already streamlined it quite a bit, now we are ...

China expands visa-free initiatives to lure tourists amid economic woes

The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed optimism about the mutual visa exemptions, stating that it "serves the fundamental interests of both peoples," as per reports

VFS Global renews pact with Norway to offer visa, residence permit services

VFS Global on Friday said it has renewed contract with the Norway government to provide services related to visa and residence permit applications for the northern European country in India and abroad. As per the agreement, VFS Global will continue to operate on behalf of the Norway government in all regions worldwide -- Americas, Australasia, China and Hong Kong, Europe and CIS, India, Middle East and North Africa, Russia, Belarus and Armenia, and South Asia, the company said in a statement. VFS Global has worked with the Norway government since 2014 and handled nearly 1.5 million applications on its behalf. "We are delighted that we will continue to serve the Norway government as their sole service provider. We have enjoyed a strong partnership and welcome the opportunity to renew our services in the existing locations where we operate. "We look forward to offering best-in-class visa solutions, and a seamless application process across all regions globally with an annual estimate

India-UK to resolve visa, EV issues under proposed free trade agreement

India and the UK are trying to resolve issues concerning visas for domestic professionals and duty concessions on British electric vehicles (EVs) as part of the proposed free trade agreement, and talks on them are at the last leg, an official said. An Indian team is in the UK to iron out differences over these issues, besides some others in the services sector and customs duty cut on British whiskey. The two countries are looking at tariff rate quota (TRQ) type arrangements for EVs. Under TRQ, a fixed number of goods are allowed at concessional duty, and beyond that, normal duty applies. The UK has sought customs duty concessions on exports of electric vehicles to India under the proposed free trade agreement. "India is seeking a liberal visa regime for its services companies as those firms need to send skilled professionals to the UK. So, visa regime should be facilitative for them," the official said. However, the UK is arguing that one of the main issues that led to Brexit was

More visa-free travel for Indians beneficial for Goa tourism as well

Visa-free entry is a carrot to expand $28 billion that 27 million Indians spent overseas in 2019. Those numbers had swelled eightfold and sixfold, respectively, in the two decades before the pandemic

China to allow visa-free entry to five European countries and Malaysia

China announced on Friday that it will allow visa-free entry for citizens of five European countries and Malaysia as it tries to encourage more people to visit for business and tourism. Starting December 1, citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia will be allowed to enter China for up to 15 days without a visa. The trial programme will be in effect for one year. The aim is to facilitate the high-quality development of Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges and high-level opening up to the outside world, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily briefing. China's strict pandemic measures, which included required quarantines for all arrivals, discouraged many people from visiting for nearly three years. The restrictions were lifted early this year, but international travel has yet to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels. China previously allowed citizens of Brunei, Japan and Singapore to enter without a visa but suspended that after the ...

After Sri Lanka and Thailand, Vietnam may let Indians in visa-free

Currently, only nationals of Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland can enter Vietnam without a visa

Pakistan unveils new visa policy to attract foreign investors amid crisis

Pakistan, in a bid to revive its ailing economy, has introduced a new visa policy to attract business communities from across the world to invest in the cash-strapped country. The decision was taken in the two-day consultation meeting held under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a civil-military hybrid body set up by the previous Shehbaz Sharif government to tackle the country's economic woes. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, who chaired the fifth apex committee meeting of SIFC, announced in a recorded message that a new easy visa regime has been approved for foreign businessmen desiring to visit Pakistan. He said foreign businessmen who want to visit Pakistan would be issued easy visas on the basis of a single document from their country or international business organisations. If Pakistan's chambers of business or business organisations issue a document to a foreign businessman, easy visas will also be issued to them, the statement quoted caretaker

Rush at European embassies: Walk-ins, more staff to cut visa wait time

Embassies 'put in measures' to reduce turnaround time

EB-5 visa: What is it, who can apply and how it is different from H1-B visa

H1-B visa requires a sponsor for the immigrant to stay in the US but no such sponsorship is needed in the EB-5 scheme

Germany announces relaxation in its Schengen visa rules for Indians

The embassy made it clear that the relaxations do not apply to applications for national visa (D-visa category) such as student, employment or family reunion visas

Are countries using visas as weapons to fight diplomatic battles?

While India does seem to be facing the rough end of visa diplomacy, barriers are going up globally

US visa processing likely to reach pre-pandemic levels in FY23: State dept

The US visa processing is rebounding faster than projected and is expected to reach pre-pandemic levels in Fiscal Year 2023, the State Department has said, addressing the growing concern over backlog of visa applications from countries like India. The State Department said it was committed to facilitating legitimate travel to the United States while safeguarding national security. "The Department of State is successfully lowering visa interview wait times worldwide. We have doubled our hiring of US Foreign Service personnel to do this important work, visa processing is rebounding faster than projected, and in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 we expect to reach pre-pandemic visa processing levels," it said in a media note on Thursday. Giving the reason behind delays, it said many applicants for US visas are required by the country's law to appear in person. However, local pandemic-era restrictions on public places like our overseas consular sections curbed our ability to see visa ...

Indians travelling to Saudi Arabia no longer need police clearance for visa

The Saudi embassy in India tweeted they have removed the visa requirement for police clearance certificate for Indians