NEW DELHI: Stung by suggestions that India was making it increasingly difficult for foreign scholars to participate in seminars and conferences, foreign ministry last week decided to grant gratis (free of cost) visa to all foreign academics and research scholars, including those from Pakistan and China, who are invited to India by Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA). No consular fee is charged for a gratis visa.
At the moment, applications from scholars and experts from eight countries, most of them neighbours like Pakistan and China, are vetted also by the home ministry, making eligibility for their participation in international conferences a long and cumbersome process but the MEA is hopeful gratis visa will improve things. "It will certainly cut down on a lot of paperwork and expedite the entire process,'' said a government official. Those seeking research visas have to apply at least six weeks ahead of the date of their departure to India. As per revised guidelines issued last year for granting visa to foreigners coming to India for international conferences, seminars and workshops, people from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Sudan and people of Pakistani origin and stateless persons had to get clearance from the home ministry. The home ministry wrote to all other ministries, departments and state governments to "strictly" adhere to the revised procedure for grant of conference visas. Participants from other countries can obtain conference visa from the Indian mission concerned on production of invitation letter from the organiser, event clearance from the home ministry, administrative approval of the nodal ministry, political clearance from the ministry of external affairs and clearance from the state government and Union Territories concerned.
At the moment, applications from scholars and experts from eight countries, most of them neighbours like Pakistan and China, are vetted also by the home ministry, making eligibility for their participation in international conferences a long and cumbersome process but the MEA is hopeful gratis visa will improve things. "It will certainly cut down on a lot of paperwork and expedite the entire process,'' said a government official. Those seeking research visas have to apply at least six weeks ahead of the date of their departure to India. As per revised guidelines issued last year for granting visa to foreigners coming to India for international conferences, seminars and workshops, people from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Sudan and people of Pakistani origin and stateless persons had to get clearance from the home ministry. The home ministry wrote to all other ministries, departments and state governments to "strictly" adhere to the revised procedure for grant of conference visas. Participants from other countries can obtain conference visa from the Indian mission concerned on production of invitation letter from the organiser, event clearance from the home ministry, administrative approval of the nodal ministry, political clearance from the ministry of external affairs and clearance from the state government and Union Territories concerned.