Tightening norms for Business Visa

 

The Government has tightened the norms to issue business visas to foreign nationals. It has come to the notice of the Government that a number of foreign nationals coming for execution of projects/contracts in India have come on Business Visa instead of the Employment Visa. The matter has, therefore, been reviewed by the Government and it has been decided that henceforth Business Visa will be issued only to bonafide businessmen who want to visit India to establish an industrial/business venture in India or who want to purchase/sell industrial products or commercial products or consumer durables etc. Suitable instruction/guidelines have been issued to the Indian Missions abroad to effectively regulate Business Visa and Employment regimes and ensure that these are issued strictly as per prescribed norms.

This was stated by Shri Mullappally Ramachandran, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs , in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.