The government, in an announcement today, said that Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders and other foreign nationals can come to India for any purpose, except on a tourist visa. This comes as an eased step in the visa and other travel restrictions that are in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The government has decided to make a graded relaxation in visa and travel restrictions for more categories of foreign nationals and Indian nationals who wish to enter or leave India,” the Union Home Ministry said.
The new order also includes Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cardholders. Until today, only a certain category of OCI card holders was allowed to enter the country.
The government, through this order, has also decided to restore all existing visas with immediate effect, however, electronic visas, tourist visas, and medical visas are not included in these yet.
This means, OCI and PIO cardholders, and foreigners can enter the country via air or water routes, and this also includes flights that are operated under the Vande Bharat flight mission. The air travel bubble system is also included in this arrangement.
Those traveling will, however, have to follow all the existing guidelines mandated in place in view of the pandemic such as quarantine and other covid protocols.
Air travel has been restricted in the country since the onset of the pandemic, while scheduled commercial passenger flights were suspended since March 23 this year. All type of visas was suspended by the government on March 11.
From June, the government had allowed the entry of foreign minor children with at least one parent who is an Indian citizen or an OCI cardholder. Foreigners, married to Indian citizens and single foreign parents whose children hold an Indian passport or an OCI card were also allowed since June.
This comes as a welcomed, and the big move to get the air travel system back on track, while also facilitating easier travel to the country.
