January 2, 2013
NEW DELHI: Observing that many foreigners visiting India on tourist visa are involved in journalistic activities, the Union home ministry on Wednesday asked all state governments and concerned authorities in the country to ensure strict compliance of the visa norms so that such visitors are not allowed to indulge in any other works.
January 2, 2013
NEW DELHI: Observing that many foreigners visiting India on tourist visa are involved in journalistic activities, the Union home ministry on Wednesday asked all state governments and concerned authorities in the country to ensure strict compliance of the visa norms so that such visitors are not allowed to indulge in any other works.
It also asked the ministry of external affairs to send message to all Indian missions or posts abroad about sensitizing the foreigners about the visa provisions and their obligation to obey the norms strictly while travelling to India.
"Ministry of home affairs has noticed that foreigners coming on tourist visa are involved in coverage of events/journalistic activities. In this context, it is stated that tourist visa is not the appropriate visa for such activities by the foreigners," said the ministry in a statement.
Clarifying the issue further, it said the tourist visa was issued to foreigners who do not have residence or occupation in India and whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends and relatives.
"No other activity is permissible on tourist visa," it said.
Officials in the home ministry said that the foreigners who want to come to India for journalistic purpose can always get different visa.
"They should not come to India on tourist visa and indulge in journalistic activities," said an official.
Courtesy: TNN
