subject: India-pak Visa: New Agreement Gets Formed [print this page] Pakistan interior minister APakistan interior minister A. Rehman Malik agreed to new terms and conditions for India-Pak visa during his current visit to India on 14th Dec. 2012. However, new terms and conditions related to Visa-on-arrival will come into force on 15th Jan. 2013 and the group Tourist Visa on 15th March, 2013.
In the interest of people or tour and travels company in India and Pakistan, both countries agreed to the new terms and conditions already in the month of September this year and had signed the same on 8th September, 2012.
The main objective of new visa agreement is to promote people to people connect through tourism.
features of the India-Pakistan new Visa Agreement as follows:
Visitor Visa
" Places of visit allowable increased from three to five places
" In exceptional cases visitor visa for one year could be issued in the past. Now provision made for issue of visa upto two years in following cases:
a.Persons above 65 years of age
b.National of one country married to national of the other country.
c. Children below 12 years accompanying parents in (b) above
Visa on Arrival can be granted at Attari/Wagah check-post to persons more than 65 years of age for 45 days with single entry (effective from 15th January, 2013).
Business Visa
Exemption from Police Reporting for Business visa granted to businessmen with an annual income above Pak Rs. 5 million or equivalent or annual turnover above Pak Rs. 30 million or equivalent.
Group Tourist Visa
" Group Tourist Visa for 30 days may be issued for travel in groups, with not less than 10 members and not more than 50 members in each group, organized by approved tour and travels company/operators/travel agents (effective from 15th March, 2013).
Entry and exit
" Now entry and exit from different designated Immigration Check Posts can be allowed, if indicated in application.
" However, exit from Wagha/Attari on foot cannot be accepted unless the entry was also on foot via Attari/Wagah.
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde observed that the New Visa Agreement will facilitate easy movement of people across the two countries and it will help tourism industry to grow which will benefit economy of the states with the help of tour and travels company who deal with such kind of services.
The Pakistan Interior Minister, Mr. A Rehman Malik observed that he wants to give a message to the people at large that he has come to India for strengthening the peace between both the countries. He assured that Pakistan Government will take all possible steps to work together with India for moving forward for the sake of future generations.
