Criminal records declaration must for visa application

Foreign nationals will now have to make a declaration of their criminal records if any while applying for an Indian visa.

The Union Home Ministry has decided to introduce such a provision for processing visa applications of foreign nationals traveling to India following a request from the Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry.

The WCD Minister had requested such provision for the protection of children from sexual abuse in the country.

“I am very pleased to inform you that our request to revise the visa application process for foreign nationals travelling to India to declare any criminal record, in view of prevention of sexual abuse of children, has been accepted,” WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi announced on Twitter on Monday.

It has now been decided that “an appropriate” questionnaire and a declaration will be incorporated in the visa application form which will have to be filled up by visa applicants/foreign nationals, she said in a series of tweets.