Govt allows foreign journos holding J1/J1X visas to enter into India

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NEW DELHI, Aug 18, 2020 (BSS) – In an effort to further ease the
travel restrictions, India has allowed foreign journalists and their
dependants holding valid (J1 and J1X) visas to enter into the country.

“Foreign nationals, who are holding journalists (J-1) visa and
their dependants, who are holding J-1X visa are permitted to enter
India,” a Union home ministry notification said here this evening.

Earlier, the India suspended the both types of visas on March 25 in
the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. Since then a good number of foreign
journalists, who travelled to their home countries could not enter
into India due to the restriction.

The notification said the suspension of foreign journalists and
their dependants visas “shall stand restored with immediate effect to
facilitate their entry into India”.

“However, it said, if the validity of such visas has expired, they
may obtain a fresh J-1 or J-1X visa, as the case may be, from the
Indian Missions/Posts concerned,” it added.

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
notification said.

The home ministry notification said the decision has been taken
after considering the need for further relaxation of visa and travel
restrictions for more categories of foreign nationals who want to
travel to India.