New Delhi: All Afghan nationals will henceforth only be provided e-visas to travel to India, Home Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
The decision was taken after reports of passports of several Afghan nationals being seized or lost. All old visas will be considered invalid, except for those Afghans who are already in India.
“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 Afghan nationals henceforth must travel to India only on e-Visa,” the Home Ministry said.
“Keeping in view reports that certain passports of Afghan nationals have been misplaced, all previously issued visas to all Afghan nationals, who are presently not in India, stand invalidated with immediate effect,” the statement said.
The statement added that Afghan nationals wishing to travel to India will have to apply online for e-visas on the Indian government’s portal for visas.
Afghanistan was taken over by the Taliban on August 15, after they entered Kabul and president Ashraf Ghani fled the country.
