Pointing to the spurt in COVID-19 cases in China, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said it is not the appropriate time to talk about the resumption of tourist visas for China.
India recently suspended tourist visas issued to Chinese nationals.
In a circular issued on April 20 regarding India, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said, “Tourist visas issued to citizens of China (People’s Republic) are no longer valid.” It said the following travelers are allowed to enter India: citizens from Bhutan, India, Maldives and Nepal; Travelers with a residence permit issued by India; Travelers holding visa or e-visa issued by India; Travelers holding an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card or booklet; Passenger of Origin (PIO) Card with Indian Persons; and travelers with diplomatic passports.
IATA also said that tourist visas with a validity of 10 years are no longer valid.
India has been taking up with China the plight of the nearly 22,000 Indian students enrolled in Chinese universities who are unable to return for physical classes. However, the neighboring country has refused to let them inside till date.
These students had to leave their studies in China and move to India when the coronavirus pandemic started in early 2020.