LTVs and diplomat visas of Pakistan nationals remain valid, say officials
Long term visas (LTVs) and official or diplomatic visas will remain valid even after the April 29 deadline when Indian visas issued to Pakistani citizens will be revoked.
Officials here clarified on the issue saying that of the 16 categories of visas issued by India to Pakistan nationals, two categories would remain valid after Tuesday (April 29, 2025) and that validity of the LTVs will not be impacted by the religious identity of the visa holders.
Also Read | Pahalgam terror attack: J&K Assembly unanimously passes resolution against the attack; Omar's emotional speech highlights local response
On April 23, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced that all visas issued to Pakistan nationals under SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) would be revoked on April 26. Briefing the media on April 23, Mr. Misri urged all Pakistani nationals with 'valid endorsements' to exit India through the Integrated Check Post at Attari by May 1.
Rest of the visas such as 'visa on arrival', visas issued to business persons, visitors, film industry workers, journalists, visas issued for transit, conference, mountaineering, and tourist groups were revoked on April 27. Apart from these, pilgrim visas and group pilgrim visas to religious minorities of Pakistan were also revoked.
As per the official notification, the deadline for visa for officials and diplomats from Pakistan will be determined by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Also Read | India blocks 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, writes to BBC on its terror attack coverage
An official note circulated by the Ministry of External Affairs on April 24 said that the Long Term Visas would remain valid after April 29 only in cases of Pakistani Hindu visitors. Referring to that decision, the official note had declared: 'The revocation of visas does not apply to the Long Term Visas (LTVs) already issued to Hindu Pakistani nationals, which remain valid.'
But an official source said on Monday that 'all' Long Term Visas issued to Pakistani citizens will remain valid after April 29.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
16 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
How to find your DIGIPIN code online using your phone's location in seconds
The Indian government has introduced DIGIPIN, a digital address system designed to improve location identification across the country. This system aims to enhance services like last-mile delivery for companies such as Amazon and Flipkart, and it could support emergency services, including police, ambulance, and fire departments by offering precise geographic data. DIGIPIN offers a secure and efficient way for citizens and various entities to get accurate location details. It operates as an open-source, interoperable, geo-coded, and grid-based digital address system. It addresses challenges in areas where traditional addresses are unclear, such as rural regions, forests, and coastal zones. Also read: WWDC 2025: How to Watch Apple's Live Event and What to Expect from iOS 26, AI Tools and More DIGIPIN assigns a unique ten-character alphanumeric code to properties measuring approximately 4 by 4 square meters anywhere in India. This includes urban and rural locations as well as maritime zones. The system complements the existing six-digit postal PIN codes by adding a more exact layer of address information. The technology behind DIGIPIN was developed by the Department of Posts, working with the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad and the National Remote Sensing Centre, which is part of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Also read: Google pauses 'Ask Photos' AI Feature to address performance issues You can also retrieve DIGIPIN codes for other locations by entering their geographic coordinates on the portal. Similarly, you can find coordinates by entering a DIGIPIN code. This functionality supports both residential and commercial users needing accurate location information. Also read: Adobe launches the Photoshop Beta app for Android smartphones: Everything you need to know In short, DIGIPIN is expected to improve the accuracy of address-based services across India and help the government and private sectors offer better service delivery through precise location identification.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
17 minutes ago
- Business Standard
US honoured to host foreign students: Trump softens F-1, J-1 visa stance
It's an honour to host foreign students in the US, said President Donald Trump in a marked departure from his administration's recent policies. Speaking from the Oval Office on Friday, Trump said, 'It's our honour to have them, frankly, we want to have foreign students, but we want them to be checked.' Trump was referring to recent visa restrictions on students from China. He had made a similar statement in June last year while campaigning for re-election, proposing automatic green cards for international graduates from US colleges. 'It's so sad when we lose people from Harvard, MIT, from the greatest schools,' Trump said on a podcast in June 2024. 'That is going to end on Day One.' That promise did not materialise. In fact, since returning to office, Trump's policies on foreign students have taken a sharp turn. A flurry of administrative moves—from halting visa interviews to blocking student entries—has drawn criticism from universities and triggered legal action. A proclamation signed late Wednesday barred nearly all foreign nationals from entering the US to attend Harvard. A federal judge blocked the order the next day, but confusion continues to ripple across. Last month Trump suggested that foreign students should be limited to 15 per cent. Crackdown meets pushback Education consultants in India say the US remains attractive for many students, despite the uncertainty. Trump's latest remarks have been received with optimism. Akshay Chaturvedi, founder and CEO of Leverage Edu, said students should focus on their academics and not let policy shifts distract them. 'My very strong public advice to students has been to focus on studies, work hard and enjoy your time there, and figure out life ahead,' he posted on X. 'Yes, your opinion is important, and you are a free-speech kid in the world of today, but guess what—if America in all its design and glory is not going to be ok with expression of a public protest topic, then no one else, including your home countries, is going to be in that place as well. Every single place on this planet has an agenda and we live at a point of time where they will put that first.' Rahul Subramaniam, co-founder of Athena Education, told Business Standard Indian students were essential to the functioning of many US universities. 'Many public universities rely on their presence for both academic strength and financial sustainability,' he said. 'We see the current developments as a moment of flux, not a structural shift.' He added that proposals such as granting green cards to top graduates suggest efforts to retain global talent are still alive within the system. Abhijit Zaveri, founder and director at Career Mosaic, told Business Standard most deportation cases making headlines involve violations of visa conditions. 'Reports of deportations have added to the fear, but these cases are not about law-abiding F-1 visa holders,' said Zaveri. 'They usually involve illegal entry, unauthorised work, or participation in politically sensitive protests.' Sharp decline in Indian student numbers India was the largest source of international students in the US in 2024, accounting for nearly 27% of the total foreign student population, according to data from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). But more recent numbers show a reversal. Between March 2024 and March 2025, the number of active international student records dropped by 11.3%, from 1.153 million to 1.022 million. Indian student numbers saw a steep 28% fall, from 354,295 to 255,442. In contrast, Chinese student enrolments rose slightly to 263,510—up 3.28%. What explains the drop? Chris R Glass, professor at Boston College, said several factors could be at play. 'There was a 28% drop from India, which had been on a growth track,' said Glass in a blog post. 'This is linked to a broader 20.5% drop in master's programme enrolments by international students. Bachelor's enrolments stayed stable.' He added, 'More importantly, as I've argued, international graduate students aren't supplemental income—they're critical scientific infrastructure. They don't merely augment American scientific leadership—in many critical domains, they constitute it.'
Business Standard
18 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Zaggle buys two companies in a single day, pumps Rs. 150 crore
PRNewswire Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 9: Zaggle Prepaid Ocean Services Limited, India's leading spend management company, is set to acquire a 100% stake in Dice and GreenEdge Enterprises for Rs150 crore. These consecutive acquisitions will enhance Zaggle's presence in the Indian market, significantly broaden its portfolio of advanced spend management solutions and further strengthen its offerings in the loyalty, rewards and travel segments. The company is set to acquire a 100% stake in Dice and GreenEdge. The company has made four acquisitions in the last four months, infusing about Rs. 215 crore. With this acquisition, Zaggle has completed four strategic takeovers in the past four months, totalling nearly Rs215 crore. These moves align with the company's ambition to become a $1 billion revenue enterprise within the next five to seven years. Zaggle is strategically deploying the Rs595 crore raised through its Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) to acquire companies that are product-accretive, geography-accretive, or EBITDA-accretive, while ensuring sustained positive returns on equity and investments. Incorporated in 2018, Dice is a Pune-based AI-driven enterprise spend management platform, specializing in Spending as a Service. Its suite of solutions encompasses travel and expense management, accounts payable management and procurement management solutions. Its unified platform offers seamless self-booking, approvals and reconciliations with built-in policy controls, streamlining the entire spend cycle for businesses. The company has demonstrated consistent growth over the last two years, clocking a turnover of over Rs. 6 crores in FY24. The acquisition of Dice will significantly enhance Zaggle's existing product portfolio, transforming it into a more comprehensive and integrated suite of spend management solutions. Through this acquisition, Zaggle will gain access to Dice's established customer base, which includes prominent enterprises such as Tata AIA, Bajaj Electricals and DTDC, further reinforcing its market presence. The combined capabilities will not only deepen Zaggle's reach within the Indian market but also create new opportunities to deliver its advanced solutions on a global scale. GreenEdge Enterprises, on the other hand, is a specialized solution provider for golf travel, unique experiences and access-based rewards. With its stronghold in India, the company achieved a turnover of Rs. 19.82 crores in FY24. This acquisition will enhance Zaggle's product offerings in the loyalty and rewards and travel segment, providing a substantial boost to its Propel offering. Zaggle had recently announced the acquisition of a 51% Controlling Stake in EffiaSoft and a 38.34% stake in Mobileware Technologies. The company had recently reported a consolidated profit after tax (PAT) of Rs. 87.4 crore for FY25, up from Rs. 44 crore in FY24. About Zaggle Founded in 2011, Zaggle (BSE: 543985) (NSE: ZAGGLE) is a leading player in spend management, offering a differentiated value proposition with a diversified user base. Operating within the business-to-business-to-customer (B2B2C) segment, Zaggle stands out as one of the few companies with a comprehensive range of financial technology products and services. Zaggle is one of India's top issuers of prepaid cards, collaborating with banking partners to drive its card offerings. The company also boasts a diverse portfolio of SaaS products and an extensive network of touchpoints. As of March 31, 2025, Zaggle has issued over 50 million prepaid cards, serves more than 3,400 corporate enterprise clients and supports a user base exceeding 3.2 million. With a robust corporate client base spanning various industries, including banking and finance, technology, healthcare, manufacturing, FMCG, infrastructure and automobiles, Zaggle is well-positioned as a leading player in the spend management sector.
