RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4334
TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.04.2018
DIFFICULTIES FACED BY INDIANS IN VISA PROCESS
†4334. SHRI LAL SINH VADODIA:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether Government is aware that Indian citizens have to face a lot of trouble in obtaining visa for visiting countries like US, Canada, Great Britain, etc;
(b) if so, whether Government has taken any steps to resolve this issue; and
(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]
(a) to (c) The Government is aware that all visa applicants for visit to the United States, Canada and the UK are not granted visas. The reasons for non-issuance of visas may be varied and the final decision to grant or deny a visa to the Indian visa applicant
vests completely with the foreign Government and their Embassies or Consulates in India. The difficulties faced by Indian visa applicants range from long-duration processing times to charge of exorbitant fees for expedited/priority visas. The documentation
requirement and the visa application itself for the US, Canada and the UK is comprehensive, and cumbersome to an extent. However, these decisions rest at the sole discretion of the foreign Government concerned. The fact that some of our nationals try to obtain
visas for these countries under various categories with the intention of not returning, could be one of the reasons for these countries to make their visa process comprehensive, requiring substantial information sharing, which is then subjected to scrutiny.
While the Government recognises that the visa policy and procedures are the prerogative of the host country, the Government regularly takes up the difficulties faced by genuine Indian visa applicants with the foreign Governments concerned at appropriate level
and platform, including in bilateral meetings and dialogues. The Government emphasizes the importance of facilitating movement of tourists, professionals, business travellers, students and other travellers and has conveyed the same to the Governments of the
US, Canada and the UK in various dialogues highlighting that stronger people-to-people ties strengthen bilateral relations and promotes mutually-beneficial economic relations.
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