An American citizen, David Coleman Headley, has been accused of helping plot Mumbai terrorist attack that let 163 people dead last year, according to a Justice Department complaint. The complaint described Mr. Headley’s repeated trips to India and his visits to the sites nearly two years before the attacks.
This case has been covered on CNN, Fox and even by Jon Stewart on Comedy Central. So our objective is not to describe the case but to inform readers about India’s change of policy for tourist visas to India for US Citizens.
According to an article in the Times of India, the United States has issued an advisory to US Citizens that includes the following:
- “Americans with five-or ten-year tourist visas will no longer be allowed to enter India within two months of their last departure from India if their last visit was longer than ninety days or if they have stayed longer than 180 days during the past year,”
- “these restrictions will be enforced whether or not the tourist’s
passport has been stamped to indicate that return is not allowed within two months.”
However, the changes will not affect Americans with other types of visas such as tourists with short-term visas, and those who have not stayed in India for the stipulated time period.
Tourists who wish to return within this two-month period can apply for special permission through any Indian High Commission or Consulate, the US embassy said.
Tourists, who are given permission to return within two months, will be required to register with the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO) within fourteen days of arriving in India.
Send your feedback to [email protected]
