Visa rule made easier for foreigners married to Indians

• Foreigners married to Indians are now allowed to convert their visas to X2 visas irrespective of the place of their wedding.
  
• However, this new rule will not cover the nationals from countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan and Iraq, people of Pakistani origin and stateless persons.
  
• The decision was taken after a Filipino woman who married an Indian man abroad could not get her visa converted into X2 Visa and her husband took to Twitter to seek the Home Minister’s help.

Desperate times, desperate measures. And one place where that seems to work the best is Twitter. At least when it comes to our Home Ministry. Following a plea on Twitter, the Union Home Ministry decided to make visa rules easier with a new amendment.

According to the new amendment, foreigners who marry Indian nationals, even if it is on foreign soil, will no longer have a problem in getting their tourist visas converted to X2 or dependent visas. Irrespective of the place of their wedding, they now will be allowed to convert their visas to X2 visas.

This decision was taken after a Filipino woman who married an Indian man on foreign soil could not get her visa converted into an X2 visa as Indian law did not permit it. The husband then brought this issue to the notice of Home Minister Rajnath Singh via Twitter. Singh took the matter in his own hands and initiated the new visa rule.

According to older rules, the marriage had to take place in India and had to be registered within the time the current tourist visa was still valid. And, even after getting the X2 visa, the foreigner would still have to go back to their country and then return on the basis of X2 visa.

But, all’s not easy for foreign nationals getting hitched to Indians. This new rule will not cover nationals from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan and Iraq, and people of Pakistani origin and stateless persons.

Last week Singh addressed the Parliamentary Consultative Committee stating that the government would facilitate safe entry inside India for legitimate international travellers and make all visa-related and consular services faster and convenient for foreigners.