Afghans can apply for Indian visas again, including investors, artists, sportspersons
India has resumed granting several categories of visas to citizens of Afghanistan, including to business people and artists, according to a notification on a government website. This comes five years after India suspended all visa services to Afghans and shut down its embassies and consulates following a regime change in the neighbouring country.
The Indian government has not made any official announcement on the resumption of visa services for Afghan citizens. However, a government source told The Hindu that a new online visa module for Afghans was rolled out in the last week of April.
'Afghans are getting visas for trade, medical [purposes], and other categories,' the government source said.
Also Read: Caught between the Taliban's restrictions and India's no-visa 'policy', Indian citizen in Herat longs for freedom to return
Portal for application
According to indianvisaonline.gov.in, a portal for 'New AFGHAN Visa' has been added to the website where 'Afghan nationals may apply for online visa.'
The categories of visas that have been listed on the portal are 'student, business, medical, medical attendant, entry, and U.N. diplomat.'
The guidelines say that the applicant must upload 'a recent front facing photograph with white background and photo/bio page of Passport and National Identity Card (Tazkira) containing personal details such as name, date of birth, nationality, expiry date etc.'
Entry visa for artists, relatives
Artists, cultural personalities, academicians, and professionals intending to visit India to participate in cultural events or activities sponsored by reputed institutions for short duration without remuneration may apply for 'entry visa', the portal said.
'Children from previous marriages of an Afghan national who is presently married to an Indian Citizen/Person of Indian Origin/OCI cardholder' may also apply under this category.
Afghans who own property in India, dependent parents of a student visiting India for higher education, and parents of a student below the age of 18 may also apply for entry visas, the portal said.
Business visa for investors, sportspeople
Under the 'business' category, sportspersons and coaches — including those engaged in commercial sports events in India, on contracts with remuneration — may apply.
The portal added that the category would be open to Afghans coming to establish an industrial or business venture and to those required to travel frequently on long-term business activities, as well as for investors and their dependents.
India had suspended all kinds of visas after the Taliban took over the government of Afghanistan in August 2021. On August 17 of that year, an 'e-Emergency X-Miscellaneous visa' was announced for stranded Afghan citizens, but most such visas were only granted to those from the Hindu and Sikh communities.
Outreach to the Taliban
On May 15, in India's first Minister-level outreach to the Taliban administration in Kabul, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a telephone conversation with Afghanistan's Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
That conversation came days after the Taliban administration, which India has yet to officially recognise, condemned the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed.
On April 27, senior Indian diplomat Anand Prakash met Mr. Muttaqi in Kabul and discussed political, trade, and transit issues as well as the latest regional political developments, according to Afghanistan-based Tolo News.
The Acting Foreign Minister also said that favourable investment opportunities are currently available across various sectors in Afghanistan, the news outlet added.
(With inputs from Kallol Bhattacherjee)
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