India has again extended the validity of exiting visa for foreign nationals till August 31 on a “gratis basis” without levy of any overstay penalty who came to the country before March last year and are stranded due to the coronavirus lockdown.
“Due to non-availability of normal commercial flight operations on account of the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020, a number of foreign nationals who came to India prior to March 2020 on valid Indian visas had got stranded in India,” Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement.
The Ministry informed that “Keeping in view the difficulties being faced by such foreign nationals in getting their visas extended in India due to the lockdown, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had issued an order on 29.06.2020 conveying that the Indian Visa or stay stipulation period of such foreign nationals expiring post 30.06.2020 shall be deemed to be valid until 30 more days from the date of resumption of normal international flight operations, on gratis basis”.
After this the foreign nationals won’t be required to submit an application to the concerned foreigners regional registration officer (FRRO/FRO) for extension of their visas. “Such foreign nationals may apply for an exit permission to the FRRO/FRO concerned before exiting the country, which would be granted on gratis basis without levy of any overstay penalty” the statement reads.
