India announces three-year multiple entry visa for Pakistani businessmen

According to an Indian newspaper, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju stated that the instructions of issuing visas to special category Pakistani businessmen with solid business standing were issued by the Indian government on July 7th which can be valid upto three years.

He added that visas can be given for five years or for a shorter time-period as per the necessity to the nationals of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries except for the citizens of nationals of Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan.

However, the citizens of Nepal and Bhutan will not need any visas to enter the country while Pakistani nationals, meeting certain requirements, are presently eligible for grant of multiple-entry business visa for a maximum period of one year and restricted to 10 places.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced business visas with 3-5 years’ validity for citizens of all SAARC member-states in the last SAARC summit as a step for boosting trade across the region of South Asia.