Visa of foreigners stranded due to Covid pandemic extended till Aug 31: MHA | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Visa of foreigners stranded due to Covid pandemic extended till Aug 31: MHA

By | Written by Susmita Pakrasi, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Jun 04, 2021 04:06 PM IST

The MHA has decided that the Indian visa or stay stipulation period of such foreign nationals will be considered valid till August 31 on a “gratis basis” without levy of any overstay penalty.

India on Friday extended the validity of exiting visa for foreign nationals, who came to the country before March last year and were stranded due to the coronavirus lockdown, till the end of August. "Due to non-availability of normal commercial flight operations on account of the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020, a number of foreign nationals who came to India prior to March 2020 on valid Indian visas had got stranded in India," the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) said in a statement.

MHA said that such foreign nationals have been applying for an extension of their visas or stay stipulation period on a monthly basis.(NYT Photo/ Representative image)
MHA said that such foreign nationals have been applying for an extension of their visas or stay stipulation period on a monthly basis.(NYT Photo/ Representative image)

The MHA has decided that the Indian visa or stay stipulation period of such foreign nationals will be considered valid till August 31 on a “gratis basis” without levy of any overstay penalty.

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"Keeping in view the difficulties being faced by such foreign nationals in getting their visas extended in India due to the lockdown, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had issued an order on 29.06.2020 conveying that the Indian Visa or stay stipulation period of such foreign nationals expiring post 30.06.2020 shall be deemed to be valid until 30 more days from the date of resumption of normal international flight operations, on gratis basis,” the ministry said.

MHA said that such foreign nationals have been applying for an extension of their visas or stay stipulation period on a monthly basis, adding that they won't be required to submit an application to the concerned foreigners regional registration officer (FRRO/FRO) for extension of their visas.

Furthermore, such persons may apply for an exit permission before leaving India without attracting any overstay penalty. "Such foreign nationals may apply for an exit permission to the FRRO/FRO concerned before exiting the country, which would be granted on gratis basis without levy of any overstay penalty," it added.

India's on Friday recorded 132,364 new Covid-19 infections, taking the tally to over 28.57 million, according to the Union ministry of health and family welfare.

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