Extending further relaxations to Covid-19 travel restrictions, the Center decided on Thursday to allow more categories of foreign nationals and Indian nationals to travel to India. All OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) and PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) card holders and all other foreign nationals who intend to visit India for any reason, except for a tourist visa, will be able to enter for Air or sea routes through authorized airports. and immigration checkpoints in seaports, according to the new visa rules. This also includes flights operated under the Vande Bharat Mission, air transport bubble arrangements or by any non-scheduled commercial flights allowed by the civil aviation ministry.
However, all these travelers must strictly comply with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health, according to the notification.
Under this gradual relaxation, the Center has also decided to restore with immediate effect all existing visas (except electronic visa, tourist visa and medical visa). If the validity of such visas has expired, new visas of the appropriate categories can be obtained from the Indian Mission / Post concerned, the Interior Ministry said.
Foreign nationals planning to visit India for medical treatment can apply for a medical visa, including for their medical assistants.
In its previous order, the Home Office had specified four categories of OCI cardholders to travel to India.
Those were:
1. Minor children who have OCI cards and whose parents are Indian citizens.
2. OCI cardholders who wish to travel to India due to a medical emergency of direct relatives or death.
3. Married couples when one is an OCI card holder and the other is an Indian citizen
4. Students who are OCI card holders and at least one of their parents is an Indian citizen or OCI card holder.
With the new rules coming into force, all OCI and PIO cardholders will be able to come to India.
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