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New rules to enable visa category conversion for spouses of Indian nationals

New rules to enable visa category conversion for spouses of Indian nationals

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At present, the Indian visa provision allows conversion from a tourist visa to X2 visa (dependent visa) only when the marriage takes place in India

According to reports, the Indian government has decided to give relaxation to the visa provision that will now enable spouses of the Indian nationals, getting married abroad, to easily convert their tourist visa to dependent visa.

"We are doing away with the particular rule and simplifying it so that irrespective of the place of the wedding, the foreign spouse can convert their tourist visa to dependent visa," a senior Home Ministry official said.

At present, the Indian visa provision allows conversion from a tourist visa to X2 visa (dependent visa) only when the marriage takes place in India and gets registered within the validity of the present tourist visa.

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The new visa rules will enable the conversion of tourist visa to X2 even if the marriage takes place on foreign soil.

The move came after the Philipino spouse of an Indian national, who married outside India, faced difficulties in converting her tourist visa to X2 (dependent visa). The husband had complained to Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

The the new rules shall not be applicable to the nationals of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan and Iraq, as well as citizens of Pakistani origin and stateless persons.

(With inputs from PTI)