India to Allow Up To 15 Years Extension for Business Visa

People obtaining a business visa to India will be able to extend their visa for up to 15 years as India has decided to give business visa holders this opportunity. Other than that, if a foreigner traveling to India faces a medical emergency, his/her regular visa will be converted into a medical category.

According to press statement by Press Information Bureau (PIB), Union Home secretary Rajiv Gauba addressed a conference “Streamlining of India’s Visa regime” and highlighted the measures taken to liberalize Indian visa regime.

Another official was cited by PTI as saying that business visa can be extended up to 15 years. It will be extended for five years at a time.

Gauba said while addressing the conference that the government’s motive behind creating a simple and hassle-free visa regime is to facilitate easy arrival and stay of foreign travelers into the country.

He also said that concerns and suggestions from various ministries, including civil aviation, tourism, health, higher education, and other stakeholders have been considered for taking policy initiatives to reform the visa system.

Highlighting such visa liberalization measures, Gauba said, “Relaxation has been introduced in grant of Internship Visa which can be obtained by a student while still pursuing a course in the country without remuneration, Extension of Business Visa beyond five years, Conversion of Visa into medical category in an emergency for a foreigner who is already in the country and Permission for foreigners who are on long-duration Visas to attend conferences.”

He also noted the success of e-visa facility and said that there has been a tremendous growth in the numbers of e-visas issued in the last four years. The number of e-visas issued reached 21 lakhs or 2.1 million this year till 30th November 2018 from 5.17 lakhs in 2015, according to the statement.

The number of e-visas issued is approximately 40 percent of the total number of visas issued. This percentage is expected to cross 50 percent mark soon.

“Our e-visa regime is one of the best in the world,” he said.

Gauba was quoted as saying, “e-visa facility now covers 166 countries and foreigners can obtain online Visa within 72 hours for travel related to Tourism, Business, Health, Medical Attendant and Conference purposes.”