New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday eased Visa and travel restrictions for certain categories of overseas citizens of India to come back to the country.
The ministry has issued a notice stating that the travel restriction imposed on May 7 due to COVID-19, will not be applicable to any aircraft, ship, train or any other vehicle deployed to bring back OCI cardholders stranded abroad.
The relaxed norms are applicable to minor children born to Indian nationals abroad and holding OCI cards. Couples where one spouse is an OCI cardholder and the other is an Indian national, and they have a permanent residence in India are also covered by the notice.
Similarly, OCI cardholders having family emergency and university students who are OCI cardholders and whose parents are Indian citizens living in India can come.
The OCI card is issued to people of Indian origin which allows them visa-free travel in most cases. It also extends certain privileges comparable to those given to citizens, except for buying agricultural land, voting, contesting elections and working in the government.
