Visas of foreigners stranded in India due to Covid-19 to be valid till Sept 30: MHA

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 2

The government on Thursday announced that it has granted the validity of Indian visa or stay stipulation period of foreign nationals stranded in India due to Covid-19 pandemic till September 30, 2021.

In an official statement the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said, “Due to the situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic, a number of foreigners, who had come to India on various types of visas prior to March, 2020 and got stranded in the country in the absence of flights to their destinations, the Central Government had facilitated the stay of such people within India by giving deemed extension of their regular visa or e-visa or stay stipulation period on gratis basis without levy of any overstay penalty.”

This facility which is presently available till August 31, 2021, has now been extended by the government till September 30, 2021, it said, adding that such foreign nationals “will not be required to submit any application to the FRRO/FRO concerned” for extension of their visas till the extended date.

Before exiting the country, they may apply online for an exit permission on e-FRRO portal, which would be granted by the FRRO/FRO concerned on gratis basis without levy of any overstay penalty, the MHA said in the statement.

“If an extension of visa is required beyond September 30, 2021, the foreign national concerned may apply for extension of visa on the online e-FRRO platform on payment basis, which would be considered by the FRRO/FRO concerned, subject to the eligibility as per the extant guidelines,” the MHA said.

However, Afghan nationals already in India on any category of visa will be granted extension of visa under guidelines issued separately for Afghan nationals, it added.