The government has decided to consider as valid Indian visa or stay stipulation period of foreign nationals stranded in India due to COVID-19 pandemic till August 31, 2021. It was also said that they will not levy any overstay penalty in view of non-resumption of normal commercial flight operations.

“These foreign nationals will not be required to submit any application to the FRRO/FRO concerned for extension of their visas,” as per an official release of the Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday.

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, it added.

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, the release pointed out. The MHA had issued an order on June 29, 2020 stating that the Indian visa or stay stipulation period of such foreign nationals expiring after June 30, 2020 shall be deemed to be valid until 30 more days from the date of resumption of normal international flight operations, on gratis basis. However, such foreign nationals have been applying for extension of their visas or stay stipulation period on a monthly basis.

With the latest order extending the validity of the Indian visas and stay stipulations for the next three months, the visitors will not have to worry about getting their permissions extended monthly.

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