e-Emergency X-Misc

e-Emergency X-Misc

Subject – IR

Context – A more open, liberalised visa policy, and more swift processing of the newly launched special “e­Emergency X­Misc” visas would reassure both Afghans and the international community that India’s exit from Afghanistan is not permanent, and it will retain its traditional and historic interests in the country and its people, despite adverse events there.

Concept –

• The Indian government has introduced a special category of electronic visa — the ‘e-Emergency X-Misc Visa’ — to facilitate and fast-track urgent applications for entry to India.
• The new visa provision has been introduced especially for Afghans as the situation worsens in the war-torn nation taken over by the Taliban.
• Then e-Emergency X-Misc Visa is granted to foreigners who are not covered in the available categories of visa but need to visit India urgently due to a family emergency.
• Such a single-entry visa is issued by Indian Missions/Posts for an appropriate period of time.
• According to the older document, Afghans were not covered under the category and had to physically present themselves at the Embassy to get the visa. However, given the current situation in Kabul, which has forced to shut down the embassy as well, all Afghans have been permitted to open e-visa with no religion-based priority.
• The facility is available to all Afghans irrespective of their religion.
• The (initial) validity of this visa would be six months.