Travel and Visa Restrictions | India | August 31, 2020
1. All scheduled international commercial passenger services will remain closed until September 30, 2020. However, international scheduled flights may be permitted on select routes on a case-by-case basis.
2. All Indian visa services (excluding in-country registration, visa extension and other in-country services) remain suspended until further notice.
3. The Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRROs) and Foreigners Registration Offices (FROs) are temporarily empowered to extend consular processed visas, electronic visas (e-visas) or stipulations of stay endorsed on the visas on a gratis basis for foreign nationals currently unable to leave the country due to travel restrictions. Visas which are set to expire until September 30, 2020 will be extended on a gratis basis for a period of 30 days from September 30, 2020.
4. For those foreign nationals who are unable to leave India due to the travel restrictions and whose visas are set to expire, the foreign national in India can make an online application on the e-FRRO portal. Foreign nationals whose visas have expired and who have made an application to exit the country, will be granted an Exit Permit without being subject to any penalty for overstay.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) for international travel for non-scheduled commercial flights operating under the Vande Bharat Scheme and Air Bubble arrangements. This has been issued to contain the spread of COVID-19 and to keep a check on the movement of international travel.
Eligible passengers who wish to travel to India under the Vande Bharat Scheme must first register themselves with the concerned Indian Mission in the country they are presently residing or located. Passengers traveling to India under the Air Bubble arrangements may not be required to register themselves with the concerned Indian Mission.
It is important to note that all travelers to India should check the Indian government’s updates on admissibility, post-arrival quarantine, and/or other procedures that may apply to them, before embarking on their journey.
