The Indian High Commission in Dhaka will begin issuing tourist visas from October 12.
“We are reopening tourist visas in a phased manner. Existing Covid-related protocols will continue to apply,” Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami tweeted Thursday.
The Indian High Commission in Dhaka said they will now issue tourist visas for individual tourists planning to fly to India on all air bubble flights that are scheduled on or after November 15.
Those travelling on chartered flights scheduled after 15 October, as groups, may apply for tourist visas too, said the high commission.
“Fresh tourist visas are necessary for travel, even if you already hold valid tourist visas issued earlier. For now, tourist visas are only valid for travel by air or sea route,” it added.
India will grant fresh tourist visas to foreigners who enter the country via chartered flights from October 15, one-and-a-half years after the country completely suspended issuing visas in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Those wanting to visit India on scheduled commercial flights would have to wait till November 15, the Indian government said Thursday.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to begin granting fresh tourist visas for foreigners coming to India through chartered flights with effect from October 15. Foreign tourists entering into India by flights other than chartered aircraft would be able to do so from November 15 on fresh tourist visas,” it said.
The stakeholders from the tourism industry underscored the need of issuing tourist visas to foreign travellers, the MHA said.
It consulted all major stakeholders like the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Tourism and state governments where foreign tourists are expected to arrive.
The decision was taken based on recommendations from state governments as well as stakeholders from the tourism industry, the Indian government added.
However, the ministry asked foreign tourists, air carriers and other stakeholders to ensure that all Covid-19 preventative measures are strictly followed.
Source: United News of Bangladesh