No prior appointment for Indian tourist visa

The Indian High Commission has decided to accept visa applications of Bangladeshi nationals without prior appointment at Sylhet, Mymensingh and Barishal centres.

The move, to be effective from May 20, was taken as part of ongoing initiatives by the high commission to further liberalise, streamline and ease access to the Indian visas for Bangladesh nationals.

A press release issued on Sunday said applicants for tourist visas can walk-in and submit their applications at the IVACs in Sylhet, Mymensingh and Barishal without prior appointment from May 20 onwards.

Applications will be accepted from 8 am to 12 noon at the respective IVACs, reports UNB.

The other existing walk-in schemes of submission of visa applications for non-tourist visas -- medical, business, conference and other types of visas -- will continue as before.

Separate counters for walk-in tourist visas for senior citizens and freedom fighters will also continue, the press release added.

This pilot initiatives started at IVACs in Chattogram on July 9, 2017, Rajshahi and Rangpur on September 10, 2017 and Mirpur Road in Dhaka on October 10, 2017 and is being extended to IVACs at Sylhet, Mymensingh and Barishal on a similar trial basis, it said.

These measures are aimed at easing access to the Indian visa and strengthening people-to-people contacts between India and Bangladesh, the press release said.