All Afghan nationals travelling to India must travel only on e-visa: Ministry of Home Affairs

The Ministry of Home Affairs, India, has said that owing to the prevailing security situation in Afghanistan and streamlining of the visa process by introduction of the e-Emergency X-Misc Visa, it has been decided that all the Afghan Nationals henceforth must travel to India only on e-Visa.

The Ministry in an official release said that keeping in view some reports that certain passports of Afghan nationals have been misplaced, previously issued visas to all the Afghans, who are presently not in India, stand invalidated with an immediate effect.

Owing to prevailing security situation in Afghanistan all Afghan nationals henceforth must travel to India only on e-Visa

Press release- https://t.co/aU2UnZW5Tm pic.twitter.com/r7Hv6p6qfr

— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) August 25, 2021

Afghan nationals willing to travel to India may apply for an e-visa at the official website. The officials of the ministry have said that all Afghans, irrespective of their religion, can apply for the travel document.

India introduces emergency e-visa category for Afghan Nationals:

Earlier on August 17, 2021, India has announced that it will issue an emergency e-visa to the Afghan Nationals who wish to come to India in view of the prevailing situation in Afghanistan after Taliban seized power there.

Irrespective of their religion, all Afghans, can apply for the e-Emergency X-Misc Visa online and the applications will be processed in New Delhi.

e-Emergency X-Misc Visa category was basically introduced to fast-track the visa applications of Afghans for their entry into India.

A spokesperson of the Home Ministry had said in a statement that the ministry reviews visa provisions in view of the current situation in Afghanistan. A new category of electronic visa called ‘e-Emergency X-Misc Visa’ has been introduced to fast track the visa applications for entry into India.

Background:

The announcement by India regarding the e-Emergency X-Misc Visa category had come two days after Taliban had captured power in Afghanistan.

Thousands of Afghans had rushed into Kabul airport on August 16 to flee the country, some of them so desperate that they had held onto a military jet as it took off. The scenes were heartbreaking and were widely shared on social media.

The crowd gathered at the airport while Taliban had enforced their rule over the capital of 5 million people after advancing across the country that took just over a week to dethrone Afghanistan’s western-backed government.