ADVISORY: TRAVEL AND VISA RESTRICTIONS RELATED TO COVID-19

 Vide MHA O.M. No.25022/24/2020-F.V/F.I  dated 21.10.2020

 (i)    Following categories of foreign nationals are permitted to enter India by water routes or by flights including those under the Vande Bharat Mission or ‘Air Bubble’ (Bilateral Air Travel Arrangements) Scheme or by any non-scheduled commercial flights as allowed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation:-
(a) All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders and PIO cardholders holding passports of any country.

(b) All foreign nationals intending to visit India for any purpose(including their dependents on appropriate category of dependent visa)  except those on Tourist Visa.

(ii) All existing visas, except electronic visas (e-Visa), Tourist visa and Medical Visa, which remained suspended, shall stand restored with immediate effect. If the validity of such visa has expired, the foreign national may obtain a fresh visa of appropriate category/sub-category from the Indian Mission/Post concerned. In the case of Medical Visa (including visa for Medical Attendants), foreign nationals intending to visit India for medical treatment in emergencies may be granted Medical visa for appropriate period by the Indian Missions/Posts. The condition of obtaining a visa will not apply to dependent family members of foreign diplomats/officials who are eligible for visa exemption in terms of bilateral visa exemption agreements or visa   specific agreements entered into by India with various countries. Such foreign nationals covered by para (i) (b) above will not be permitted to travel to India on the strength of any electronic visa (e-Visa) obtained earlier.

(iii) In case any foreign national not covered by categories mentioned in (i) above is required to visit India urgently due to any family emergency, the Indian Missions/Posts are authorized to issue single entry X-Misc visa for appropriate period. In such cases, the Indian Missions/Posts may take a decision on grant of visa on a case to case basis on the merits of each case.

(iv) Nationals of Nepal and Bhutan are permitted to come to India from any country  (including any third country).

(v) Any Indian national or a national of Nepal or Bhutan holding any type of valid visa of any country is permitted to travel from India to the country concerned provided there is no travel restriction for entry of Indian/Nepalese/Bhutanese nationals in that country. It would be for the airlines concerned to ensure that there is no travel restriction for Indian/Nepalese/Bhutanese nationals to enter the country concerned with the particular visa category before issue of tickets/boarding pass to the Indian/Nepalese/Bhutanese passenger.

(vi) There will be no restriction on incoming passenger  traffic  into India through the authorized airport/seaport Immigration Check Posts for all categories of foreign nationals who are permitted to enter India or those who may be permitted to enter India  in future. Such travel restrictions would also not apply to any movement of cargo or goods and supplies in any vehicle, aircraft, ship, train etc. along with their crew, sailor, driver, helper, cleaner etc. on any of the 107 Immigration Check Posts including the land ICPs. However, such restriction on incoming passenger traffic into India will continue to be in effect in respect of foreign nationals holding Tourist Visa.

(vii) In respect of quarantine and all other health/COVID-19 related matters, guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare shall be strictly adhered to.
Vide MHA Order No. 26011/Misc./83/2020-OCI  dated 21.10.2020

            In supersession of MHA's Orders of even number dated 13.03.2020, 16.04.2020, 05.05.2020, 12.06.2020 and 07.08.2020, the central government in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section 3 of the Foreigner's Act, 1946 (31 of 1946), being of the opinion that it is necessary and expedient in public interest to do so, hereby specifies that the right of multiple entry lifelong visa facility granted for any purpose in terms of the Notification S.O. 542(E) dated 11.04.2005 issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs shall stand restored with immediate effect to all persons registered as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders under section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (57 of 1955).