Latest news with #Foreigners
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Home Minister launches new OCI portal
Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a new Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) portal on Monday (May 19, 2025). Mr. Shah said the revamped OCI portal with an updated user interface has been launched to simplify the registration process for overseas citizens. He said it must be ensured that the Indian-origin residents face no inconvenience when visiting or staying in India. The new portal will provide enhanced functionality, advanced security, and a user-friendly experience for more than 5 million OCI cardholders and new users. The new OCI portal is available at The OCI scheme was introduced through an amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955, in 2005. The scheme provides for the registration of Persons of Indian Origin as Overseas Citizens of India, provided they were citizens of India on or after January 26, 1950 or were eligible to become citizens on that date. However, individuals who are or had been citizens of Pakistan or Bangladesh, or whose parent or grandparent or great grandparent are or had been citizens of those two countries are not eligible. The existing OCI Services portal was developed in 2013 and is currently operational in over 180 Indian missions as well as 12 Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRROs), processing approximately 2,000 applications per day. Given the significant technological advancements over the past decade and feedback received from OCI cardholders, a revamped OCI portal has been developed to address existing limitations and enhance user experience, MHA said in a statement.
Hindustan Times
13-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Thailand authorities end search operation at Bangkok skyscraper after earthquake
Thai authorities on Tuesday officially ended the search operation at the building under construction in the capital, Bangkok, that collapsed following an earthquake that killed dozens over a month ago. The 7.7 magnitude quake on March 28 centred in Myanmar, more than 800 miles (1,200 kilometres) away, killed at least 96 people in Bangkok, mostly at the collapsed site. More than 3,000 were killed in Myanmar. Also Read: From 'White Lotus' to white sands: Bangkok Airways expands for tourist influx Eighty-nine bodies have been retrieved from the rubble while seven people remain unaccounted for at the site, officials said. They said they would continue to test hundreds of pieces of human remains to identify those still missing. The collapse sparked questions about the enforcement of construction safety and corruption. The high-rise building, meant to be the new office of the State Audit Office, was the only building that suffered a total collapse that day. Also Read: Bangkok skyscraper collapse probe takes major turn as Thailand officials find 'something suspicious' The police on Tuesday said they are still investigating and will continue to collect evidence from the collapse site until the end of this month. Authorities are probing several companies and individuals for any wrongdoing in relation to the collapse, including the state-run Chinese contractor, China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group. The investigation has led to the arrest of its Chinese executive in Thailand, identified as Zhang, and three Thai shareholders on suspicion of operating the business through the use of nominees. Also Read: Delay, sub-standard steel: Concerns raised on Bangkok skyscraper that collapsed Foreigners can operate a business in Thailand, but it must be a joint venture with a Thai partner, and they cannot own more than 49 per cent to protect local competitiveness. Another Thai-Chinese company, Xin Ke Yuan Steel, also came under scrutiny over the quality of the steel rods provided for the building. Industry Minister Akanat Promphan said two types of steel rods found at the collapse site did not pass safety standards and that Xin Ke Yuan supplied both. The company has denied any wrongdoing.
Kyodo News
21-04-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
Central Tokyo condo prices top 100 mil. yen for 2nd straight year
KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 15:27 | All, Japan The average price of a new condominium in central Tokyo surged 11.2 percent in fiscal 2024 from the previous year to 116.32 million yen ($827,000), topping 100 million yen for the second straight year, a research institute said Monday. The rise in condo prices mainly reflected soaring material and labor costs. The number of new condominiums listed for sale in Tokyo's 23 wards, meanwhile, plunged 25.5 percent to 8,272 units. The average price in the country's capital and surrounding areas rose 7.5 percent from the previous year to 81.35 million yen, with prices climbing in every prefecture in the metropolitan region. By prefecture, the price rose 20.5 percent to 58.93 million yen in Saitama, 10.6 percent to 56.04 million yen in Chiba, and 7.2 percent to 65.87 million yen in Kanagawa. The average price in Tokyo outside the 23 wards increased 13.2 percent to 60.67 million yen. Related coverage: Japanese-style inn operator eyes U.S. expansion after N.Y. listing Foreigners bought 371 properties near Japan security zones in FY 2023
Kyodo News
21-04-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
Central Tokyo condo prices top 100 mil. yen for 2nd straight year
KYODO NEWS - 4 minutes ago - 15:26 | All, Japan The average price of a new condominium in central Tokyo surged 11.2 percent in fiscal 2024 from the previous year to 116.32 million yen ($827,000), topping 100 million yen for the second straight year, a research institute said Monday. The rise in condo prices mainly reflected soaring material and labor costs. The number of new condominiums listed for sale in Tokyo's 23 wards, meanwhile, plunged 25.5 percent to 8,272 units. The average price in the country's capital and surrounding areas rose 7.5 percent from the previous year to 81.35 million yen, with prices climbing in every prefecture in the metropolitan region. By prefecture, the price rose 20.5 percent to 58.93 million yen in Saitama, 10.6 percent to 56.04 million yen in Chiba, and 7.2 percent to 65.87 million yen in Kanagawa. The average price in Tokyo outside the 23 wards increased 13.2 percent to 60.67 million yen. Related coverage: Japanese-style inn operator eyes U.S. expansion after N.Y. listing Foreigners bought 371 properties near Japan security zones in FY 2023
