E-Paper
2-month gap for multi-entry visas to stay
The government said that the two-months gap between two visits will remain mandatory for foreigners who have long-term multi-entry tourist visas to India but the rules are flexible enough to ensure that bona fide tourists are not put to difficulty.
The government said on Thursday that the two-months gap between two visits will remain mandatory for foreigners who have long-term multi-entry tourist visas to India but the rules are flexible enough to ensure that bona fide tourists are not put to difficulty.
The ministry of external affairs has clarified that visitors can re-enter India after going to another country from here if they provide a detailed itinerary and documents. “According to the new guidelines on tourist visas issued on November 4, 2009, a two-month gap between two visits is mandatory for foreigners holding long term multi-entry tourist visas”, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said.
“To facilitate bona fide tourists, the government has decided that foreigners holding tourist visas, who after initial entry into India plan to visit another country and re-enter India, may be permitted two or three entries by the Indian missions/posts,” he said.
“They can be permitted re-entry subject to their submission of a detailed itinerary and documents (ticket bookings) to support the it,” the spokesperson added.
Immigration authorities in all the check posts in India have also been authorised to allow tourists to make two or three entries, as the case may be, based on production of an itinerary and documentation (ticket bookings) substantiating the need for tourism related travel, the spokesperson said.
The new tourist visa rules seek to balance security concerns with the convenience of tourists, an official said.
The officials said that they have explained to the US and UK officials about the nature of new visa rules to clarify that those “do not prove a dampener” for travel plans of tourists.
But these tourists are required to register within 14 days with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office if they return within two months of their departure.
The final decision will rest with the head of the Indian mission in that country, who will decide on the merits in consultation with the ministry of home affairs about the application of tourists who want to visit India before the two-moth cooling off period.
