India suspends tourist visas more than COVID-19
12 March, 2020
India on Wednesday (Mar 11) announced it could suspend all tourist visas until Apr 15 and quarantine travellers arriving from seven coronavirus-hit countries as it attempts to support the spread of COVID-19.
The move comes as the World Wellbeing Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic, and as countries worldwide scramble to contain the spread of COVID-19.
India's visa suspension begins on Friday at 12pm GMT at the interface of departure, the government's Press Info Bureau said.
Diplomatic visas and visas for overseas organisations, employment and projects are exempt.
While the majority of COVID-19 cases have been around in China - which shares a border with India - the quantity of new infections has steadied generally there. Hotspots however contain emerged in Italy, Iran and Spain.
All travellers, including Indian nationals, "arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany following Feb 15 will come to be quarantined for a minimum period of 2 weeks", the statement read.
The quantity of COVID-19 cases in India - which has a population of just one 1.3 billion - has doubled to 60 in the past four times, increasing public dread and the government's point out of alert.
Lots of the cases have already been blamed on Indians who have travelled or worked found in badly hit countries found in Europe and the center East.
The visa decision was reached carrying out a meeting of ministers led by Wellbeing Minister Harsh Vardhan, the statement read.
The federal government also "strongly advised" Indians against non-essential foreign travel, warning that they can be subjected "to quarantine for at the least 14 days".
Visa-free of charge travel granted to Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card holders - some 3 million people, not nationals but from ethnic Indian families living overseas - was placed on hold until Apr 15.
And land border visitors will be funnelled through "specified check points with robust screening facilities".
Foreign nationals who intend to happen to be India "for compelling reasons" can contact their nearest Indian mission, the statement reported.
VISA SUSPENSIONS
Separately, India's Bureau of Immigration said that all visas and e-visas granted to French, German and Spanish nationals just before Wednesday "and who have not yet entered India stand suspended with immediate effect".
And Italian, Iranian, Southern Korean and Japanese nationals who've visas issued before Mar 3 "who've not yet entered India remain suspended".
Visas granted to Chinese nationals before Feb 5 as well continue being suspended, the statement reading.
Foreigners already in India with valid visas are actually unaffected by the brand new requirements.
After the visa announcement, national carrier Air India explained it was temporarily suspending flight services to Rome, Milan and Seoul, the Press Trust of India reported.
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