E-emergency visa for Afghans will be issued for 6 months first

New Delhi: India will issue an emergency visa to Afghans under a new category "e-Emergency X-Misc Visa" and all Afghan nationals can apply for it, sources said on Tuesday.

These visas will be valid for six months only and will be granted only after security clearance, the sources said.

In view of the prevailing critical condition in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday decided to issue a new category of electronic visas to fast-track applications of Afghans wanting to come to India.

The new visa category has been introduced to speed up visa granting process to applications for entry into India. "MHA reviews visa provisions in view of the current situation in Afghanistan. A new category of electronic visa called 'e-Emergency X-Misc Visa' introduced to fast-track visa applications for entry into India," the Home Ministry spokesperson tweeted on Tuesday morning.

Under this category, the applications of Afghan people will be processed quickly so that they can enter India.

However, the government is yet to clarify what will happen after this validity period expires.

India does not have a refugee policy and grants shelter to foreigners facing persecution in their countries on a case-to-case basis.

Amid the Taliban taking full control of Afghanistan and deteriorating condition, many Afghans have been fleeing from the war-torn country and many of them want to come to India and it was expected that hundreds of visa application will soon be coming up at Ministry of the External Affairs as the Indian Embassy in Kabul was finally closed on Tuesday.

All embassy personnel including Indian Ambassador Rudrendra Tandon have returned to India by an IAF aircraft which flew out 120 Indian officials, including the last batch of the embassy staff, and ITBP personnel from the Kabul airport.

The Indian Consulates across Afghanistan had already been closed a fortnight ago amid the Taliban advance.