Govt ready to revisit new tourist, conference visa guidelines

The government today said it was ready to revisit the new guidelines issued for granting tourist and conference visas if there were genuine grievances.

Home secretary GK Pillai said the government has received a number representations requesting it to reconsider the revised guidelines.

"Government makes rules, government makes regulations which may not be correct. But in a democracy there is a system, we correct ourselves if a mistake is made. If error is made, we correct them," he said addressing a seminar on "Thought Policing or Fighting Terror; Home Ministry's Curbs on Foreign Scholars".

Later, Pillai told reporters, "We have received a number of representations (on conference visa) and we are examining them. This is under consideration". His comments came when asked whether there was any move to revisit the new guidelines for conference visas.

According to the revised guidelines for conference visas, prior security clearance from the home ministry is required in respect of participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Iran, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Iraq, Sudan, foreigners of Pakistani origin and stateless persons.
 
Besides, the home ministry's clearance is also required if the participation involves visit to restricted or protected areas in India or to areas affected by terrorism, militancy and extremism, like Jammu and Kashmir and North Eastern states, and if the conference involves politically sensitive subjects.

Referring to the restrictions imposed on issuing tourist visa, the Home Secretary said the government was open to amend any rules if there was any "mistake".

Pillai wondered how many of the six million genuine tourists, which visit India every year, would like to come back to India within 60 days.

"Six million tourists come and go. How many of them come within 60 days ? Possibly not even 0.1 per cent of the total number of tourists," he said. The recent guidelines on tourist visa stipulate a gap of at least two months between two visits to the country.
  
Pillai, however, said the government was ready to examine if any genuine tourist is harassed following the new guidelines.

"If the problem is of that 0.1 per cent, we are ready to see how best that can be corrected. Government is willing to see how best the problem of that 0.1 per cent people is solved. But no decision can satisfy all people. That is part of the problem. That is the government system," he said.