By IANS,
New Delhi: The US embassy here has posted a message on its website on changes in Indian tourist visa regulations that affect travellers who wish to enter India within two months of their last departure from the country.
The advisory, posted Monday, was issued in the wake of reports the US embassy has received about “inconsistencies” in the way the new visa rules are being allegedly implemented by Indian authorities.
“The US Mission in India wishes to inform US citizens that the government of India is implementing new regulations that affect visa holders, periods of authorized stay, and registration in India,” the US embassy said in a warden message on its official website.
Indicating unhappiness about the way the new visa policy is being implemented, the message said that the US embassy and consulates in India have received “reports from individuals about inconsistent implementation of the new rules, which have not been widely publicized and are subject to change”.
Initial information from the government of India indicated that revised visa regulations would primarily affect travellers with tourist visas who had been in India for more than 90 days before travel abroad or more than 180 days in the past year, the warden message said.
Travellers have reported being denied re-entry after exiting India for business or family emergencies, or for tourist travel to nearby countries, even if their initial visit to India was for only a few days, the message said.
“Prior guidance and procedures that allowed re-entry to India after stays of up to 180 days are no longer in effect,” it informed.
The message cites several examples of problems some Americans have had trying to navigate the recent visa changes.
“One American family, visiting India on ten-year, multiple entry tourist visas for several weeks, had to return briefly to the US to attend a funeral. They were not permitted to re-enter India,” the message said.
India is considering tightening rules for long-term tourist visas, barring visitors from some select countries from returning within two months of leaving the country, in the wake of the arrest in the US of David Headley, a Pakistani American, in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai carnage.
Under existing rules, tourists on long-term visas had to leave the country every 180 days.
Headley reportedly travelled to India several times between 2006 to 2008 to help identify targets for the Mumbai terror attacks.
India’s home ministry, which supervises the presence of foreigners within the country, has yet to make any formal announcement about the new visa procedures.