India allows entry of foreign journalists and dependents with valid visa

India on Tuesday allowed re-entry of foreign journalists, who had left the country and could not return due to restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, if they have a valid visa.

The orders were issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday allowing journalists with J-1 visa and their dependents with J1-X visas to fly into India.

The decision came after the government considered the need for relaxation of visa and travel restrictions for more categories of foreign nationals who want to travel to India, which had earlier lifted restrictions on certain categories of people on June 30 and August 7.

According to the new order, journalists and their dependents, whose visas had expired will have to obtain fresh visas from Indian missions abroad.

"It has been decided to permit foreign journalists holding Journalist (J-1) visa and their dependents holding J1-X visa to enter India...It has also been decided that the existing restrictions on incoming passenger traffic into India through the Immigration Check Posts will not apply in respect of these categories of foreign nationals," the office memorandum said.

The arriving passengers will have to adhere to the guidelines on quarantine issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

On August 7, the government had allowed Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders from the United States, Germany, France and Kuwait with which India entered into an "air bubble" agreement.

Other foreigners have also been allowed to avail Indian visa facilities for business, medical and employment purposes.

In June, the government had relaxed visa rules further to allow minor foreign nationals whose one of the parents is an Indian national or an OCI cardholder and foreign nationals married to Indian citizens among others to fly into the country.

Foreign nationals who are single parents of minor children holding Indian passports or OCI cards and students who are foreign nationals with at least one of their parents is an Indian citizen or OCI cardholder were also allowed to enter the country in June.

Earlier on May 22, India had allowed minor children born to Indian nationals abroad and holding OCI cards and OCI cardholders who wish to come to India on account of family emergencies like a death in family were allowed to travel to India/

Similarly, couples where one spouse is an OCI cardholder and the other is an Indian national and they have a permanent residence in India as well as university students who are OCI cardholders (not legally minors) but whose parents are Indian citizens living in India were also allowed.