Page 5 - Visa

Thailand plans to cut visa-free tourists' stay from 60 to 30 days

The new visa restrictions could affect long-term visitors, including digital nomads, remote workers, and retirees, many of whom depend on visa-free stays to extend their time in the country

India's visa applications up 11% in 2024, Canada and China among favourites

Popular destinations for Indian travellers in 2024 included Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and the United Kingdom

Ex-employee alleges IT services company TCS misused US visa system

Says IT firm misrepresented job roles to send more employees

Fear of tighter US visa regulations keeps temples, consultancies busy

Footfalls at the Shree Siddhi Peeth Chamatkari Hanuman Mandir in New Delhi's Neb Sarai have increased, especially since January 20, when Donald Trump was sworn in as US president

Indian Consulate in Seattle faces protest over alleged visa denial

The Consulate General of India in Seattle said it had to deal with a law and order situation when certain individuals entered its premises unauthorised and engaged in aggressive and threatening behaviour with the Consulate staff over alleged denial of visa to one of them. Today, the Consulate was forced to deal with a law and order situation arising from the unauthorised entry by certain individuals into the Consulate premises after office hours, the Consulate said in a post on X Friday. It added that despite repeated requests, these individuals refused to leave the Consulate premises and engaged in aggressive and threatening behaviour with the Consulate staff. The Consulate said it was compelled to call in relevant local authorities to deal with the situation. Further action is being initiated against the trespassers. One of the individuals the Consulate referred to is former Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant, who said in a post on X that she was in the Consulate with her

India's medical tourism poised for expansion with relaxed visa rules

Industry reports estimate that India's medical tourism market was valued at $7.69 billion in 2024, with approximately 7.3 million foreign patients travelling to India for medical treatment

Elon Musk's X to launch its first digital wallet in partnership with Visa

X partners with Visa to launch real-time payments, marking progress in Elon Musk's vision for an 'everything app.' The service will support digital wallets and bank transfers

High demand for US visa an opportunity for closer ties: Eric Garcetti

In 2024, one million non-immigrant visas, including a record number of visitor visas, were issued to Indians

Taliban seeks India's support: Request visas for Afghan patients, students

Afghanistan urges India to resume visas for trade, education, and healthcare. Complexities include non-recognition of the Taliban, security concerns, and limited consular services

Hasina may continue staying in India despite Dhaka's extradition request

Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh amidst violent student-led protests that erupted in July 2024, leaving over 500 people dead

Israel launches e-visa for Indian travellers: How to apply & required docs

The e-visa platform is integrated with Israel's Entry Travel Authorization (ETA) system, ensuring efficient processing and prompt approvals

Govt launches 2 special categories visas for international students

India has launched two special category visa for international students intending to pursue higher education in academic institutions in the country. The 'e-student visa' and 'e-student-x' visa have been introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs and all applicants will have to use the 'Study in India' (SII) portal launched by the government, officials said. The e-student visa facility can be availed by eligible foreign students registered on the SII portal while e-student-x visa is offered to the dependents of those holding e-student visas, they said. The SII portal facilitates the admission process of international students who wish to pursue either long-term or short-term courses in India. Students will need to apply for a visa separately on the portal https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ but the authenticity of their application will be checked by SII ID. Hence it is mandatory for students to apply to Indian higher educational institutions through SII website, the officials ...

Australia student visa: Confirmation of Enrolment required from Jan 2025

The change ensures that both onshore and offshore applicants meet the same criteria for proof of intended study

Spain ends Golden Visa programme: What it means for foreign investors

Excerpt Alongside the abolition of the Golden Visa, the new legislation introduces fast-track legal proceedings for property squatting cases, aiming to streamline the eviction process for landlords

Australia's new rules prioritise international student visa processing

The changes apply exclusively to offshore student visa applications for students currently outside Australia

Co-branded credit card share likely to double by FY28: Visa's Rishi Chhabra

Spends are 20% higher than traditional cards

China expanding visa-free entry to more countries in bid to boost economy

Starting Nov 30, travellers from Bulgaria, Romania, Malta, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Estonia, Latvia and Japan will be able to enter China for up to 30 days without a visa

South Africa plans to ease visa rules for from India, China tourists

Travelers from many Western nations including the US and UK don't need visas for short visits to South Africa. Tourists from India and China require authorization before they travel

New Australian working holiday-visa has 40k Indian applicants for 1k spots

About 40,000 applications have been submitted in just two weeks for 1,000 spots under Australia's new Working Holiday Maker visa program, Australian Assistant Minister for Immigration Matt Thistlethwaite said on Monday. The visa, which allows Indians aged 18 to 30 to live, work, and study in Australia for up to 12 months, marks a key step in strengthening ties between the two nations, he said at the launch event of Australian Working Holiday Maker program. The visa ballot process opened on October 1 and will close by the end of the month. Afterward, successful candidates will be randomly selected, and those chosen can begin their stay in Australia early next year, he said. Thistlethwaite noted that the visa offers young Indians an opportunity to immerse themselves in Australian culture and gain work experience across various sectors. "The great thing about the Working Holiday Maker visa is that there are no restrictions on the jobs you can do. Till now, 40,000 applications have bee

Visa unveils platform for global banks to issue stablecoin, other tokens

The product is designed to let banks use their tokens within smart contracts for programmability