Govt lifts curbs, but not for tourist visas
THE VISAS WOULD NEED TO BE APPLIED FOR PHYSICALLY AS THE E-VISA FACILITY REMAINS SUSPENDED
NEW DELHI: The Union government decided on Thursday to provide a graded relaxation in visa and travel restrictions for foreign nationals and Indian card holders wishing to enter or leave the country, except on tourist visas, according to a statement issued by the Union home ministry.
The statement said the government has decided to restore with immediate effect all existing visas, except those in the tourist category. Also, visas would need to be applied for physically as the e-visa facility remains suspended.
“If the validity of such visas has expired, fresh visas of appropriate categories can be obtained from Indian missions/ posts concerned,” the statement said about visas falling under the medical category.
Foreign nationals who intend to visit India for treatment are allowed to apply for a medical visa, including for their attendants, the statement said. A senior ministry official clarified that restrictions on medical visas were only on existing ones. “One can apply for a fresh medical visa if they want to come to India and it will be decided on a case by case basis,” he said.
The ministry, which deals with such permissions, said all Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and Person of Indian Origin ( PIO) card holders can visit India for any purpose, except on a tourist visa.
This move, the statement said, will enable foreign nationals to come to India for various purposes such as business, conferences, employment, studies and research.
The travellers can enter India by air or water routes, or through authorised airports and seaport immigration check posts.
→US proposes not to issue biz visa for
: The State Department has proposed not to issue temporary business visas for H- 1B speciality occupations which allowed several companies to send their technology professionals for a short stay to complete jobs on site in the US, a move which could affect hundreds of Indians.
The proposal, if finalised, will eliminate any misconception that the “B- 1 in lieu of H policy” provides an alternative avenue for foreign professionals to enter the US to perform skilled labour that allows, and potentially even encourages them and their employers to circumvent the restrictions and requirements relating to the H non- immigrant classification established by Congress to protect the US workers, the State Department said.
The move, made public on Wednesday, less than two weeks ahead of the November 3 presidential election, is likely to impact several Indian companies which send their technology professionals on B- 1 visas for a short stay to complete jobs on site in the US.
On December 17, 2019, the Attorney General of California announced a USD 800,000 settlement against Infosys Limited to resolve allegations that approximately 500 Infosys employees worked in the state on Infosys-sponsored B-1 visas rather than H- 1B visas, the State Department said.
“The proposed changes and the resulting transparency would reduce the impact of foreign labour on the US workforce of aliens performing activities in a specialty occupation without the procedural protections attendant to the H- 1B classification,” it said.