Thursday, September 13, 2012

Comparison between old and new visa agreements between India and Pakistan


 Below is the comparison between old and new visa agreements between India and Pakistan

 

 


Category

Existing Agreement

New Agreement

Diplomatic Visa

Category I

1) No mention of timeframe for issuing visa

2) Period of validity will be ordinarily one year




Category II

3) Single entry visa will be granted to high-ranking dignitaries

4) The purpose of visit could be official, business or international conference

Category I

1) To be issued within a period not exceeding 30 days of application

2) Specifies that the visa is valid for the place and duration of assignment and for visiting other places special permission shall be sought.

Category II

3) Such visa will be granted to high-ranking dignitaries holding diplomatic passports.

4) No special mention of the purpose of visit.

Non-Diplomatic Visa

1) No mention of timeframe for issuing visa

1) To be issued within a period not exceeding 45 days of application

Official Visa

1) Valid for one month

1) Valid for 15 days

Visitor visa

1) Single entry visa to be issued for three months for meeting relatives, friends, business or other legitimate purpose.

2) However the visa may be issued for longer period not exceeding one year if owing to the nature of work or business.

1) Single entry visa to be issued for a maximum period 6 months but stay not to exceed 3 months at a time and for 5 places.
( currently limited to 3 places)

2) Business visa separated from visitor’s visa.

Category II ( new)

A visitor visa for a maximum five specified places may be issued for a longer period upto two years with multiple entries to :

i) Senior citizens (those above 65 years of age);

ii) Spouse of a national of one country married to person of another country; and

iii) Children below 12 years of age accompanying parent(s) as given in (b) above.

Transit visa

1) To be issued for 72 hours

1) To be issued for 36 hours

Group Tourist visa

No provision

1) For not less than 10 people and not more than 50 people-valid for 30 days-organised by approved tour operators/travel agents to furnish details 45 days in advance. The tour operator will be responsible for police reporting on behalf of the group.

2) List of designated Tour Operators as well as list of approved / identified routes and tourist destinations will be exchanged by both sides from time to time.

3) The Group Tourist Visa facility will also be available to students of educational institutions of both countries. However, this will be a tourist visa only and not for seeking admission in educational institutions of either country.

Business visa

1) Part of visitor visa category i.e., single entry for 3 months and for 1 year in certain cases.

Category I-

Businessmen with an income of Pak Rs. half million or equivalent per annum or annual turnover / gross sale of Pak Rs. three million or equivalent will be given one year business visa, with five places for up to four entries

Category II-

Businessmen with an income of at least Pak Rs. five million or equivalent per annum or turnover of Pak Rs. thirty million or equivalent per annum will be given one year multiple entry business visas for upto ten places, with exemption from Police Reporting.

General Instructions

The visa shall specify that the period of stay of the businessman at a time shall not exceed 30 days. The maximum time taken in processing of a business visa will not exceed more than five weeks.

Pilgrim Visa ***

No provision

Pilgrim visas will be issued to Pilgrims intending to visit religious shrines as per the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, or any future revision to the Protocol. Such visas will need to be applied at least 45 days before the commencement of the intended tour. The visas will be issued at least ten days before the commencement of travel. These visas will be issued for a single entry, restricted to 15 days validity and would be non-extendable

Visa on arrival

No provision

1) Persons of more than 65 years of age- at Attari/Wagha checkpost for 45 days. This visa will be non-extendable and non-convertible.

Check Posts

1) By Air-India: Mumbai, Delhi and Amritsar. Pakistan: Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad

2) By Sea- Mumbai and Karachi

3) By Land- Wagha/Attari and Khokhrapar/Munabao

Persons have to enter and exit through the same route and have to use same mode of travel for onward and return journey. Exemptions made on case to case basis

1) By Air- India: Mumbai/ Delhi/Chennai.

Pakistan: Karachi/Lahore/Islamabad

2) By Sea- Mumbai/Karachi

3) By Land- Wagha/Attari and Khokhrapar/Munabao


People can enter and exit from different check posts and change in mode of travel will also be permitted. However, this is subject tothe exception that Exit from Wagha/Attari, by road (on Foot) cannot be accepted, unless the entry was also by foot via Attari/Wagha.

Registration

1) Registration within 24 hours

(Exemption from Police Reporting (EPR) given on a case to case basis)

1) Registration within 24 hours

Persons of more than sixty-five years of age, children below twelve years of age and Eminent Businessmen are exempted from Police Reporting. Bona fide businessmen, not in EPR category, may depute their authorized representatives for reporting.

Seamen

Issued a Landing Permit for a period not exceeding 24 hrs.

No change

Fee

Currently 12 Indian Rupees and 15 PKR

Fixed as 100 PKR or equivalent in INR

Validity of Visa

No provision
The applicant must avail the visa within a period of 90 days from the date of issue. If there are grounds requiring extension of validity, the concerned Mission will take a decision on such requests on priority. This provision will not be applicable to the holders of Business Visa


Courtesy: AIR

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