New Delhi: Foreigners stranded in India due to the ongoing crisis in West Asia will be granted an extension of their visas. They will also not be charged an overstay penalty, the government has announced.
The Indian Consulate in Dubai issued a notification announcing that all visas and e-visas expiring or due for expiry soon would be extended for a month on a gratis basis for the jurisdictional Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRROS), as reported by ET.
The penalty for any overstay by affected foreign nationals due to the ongoing conflict after February 28 would be waived, authorities said.
Exit permits will also be issued free of charge to foreign nationals affected by the travel disruption so they can leave India once routes reopen, it has been announced.
If a foreign national is unable to apply for an exit permit and extension of visa, it would not be treated as a violation of migration legislation, the consulate stated.
India will also grant Temporary Landing Permit (TLP) on a gratis basis to foreign nationals arriving in India due to diversion of flights, it has been announced.
This comes at a time when the West Asia conflict has entered its 15th day. While the US and Israel continue to strike Iran, the latter is responding with missile and drone attacks on US strategic bases in the Gulf region. Israel is also being targetted.
Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Doha has said that nearly 500 Indian nationals travelled from Qatar to India and other global destinations on flights operated by Qatar Airways.
The embassy said on Friday said the passengers travelled on Qatar Airways flights to Kochi and other destinations. The airline also facilitated the transportation of the mortal remains of two Indian nationals who died of natural causes, along with their accompanying family members, to Kochi on humanitarian grounds, it was posted on X.
Qatar’s airspace is only partially open, resulting in limited flight operations by Qatar Airways, the embassy said.
“One flight to Mumbai is planned for operations by Qatar Airways on March 14,” the advisory said.
