New Delhi [India]: Around 60,000 visa applications of Afghan nationals under the new ‘e-Emergency X-Misc Visa’ is under consideration. Confirming the development, a senior Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) official said that after the Taliban took over Kabul, the ‘e-Emergency X-Misc Visa’ was introduced to facilitate and fast-track urgent applications for entry to India. The order regarding it was issued on August 17. And all stamp visas were cancelled with immediate effect. India received around 20,000 visa requests during the first two days of the introduction of the ‘e-Emergency X-Misc Visa’. These stamp visas issued before August 15 by the Indian embassy were cancelled after over 11,000 visas were reportedly stolen, prompting the Centre to introduce e-Visas due to security concerns. In normal circumstances, a window of 30 days has been made for security clearance in case of e-visas and if no objection is raised by any concerned agencies, the visa is issued. “Most of the applications have been received from Afghan nationals who moved to Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and other adjoining countries after Taliban had taken over the government,” said the official. The official said that many Afghan nationals are seeking asylum in India as it helps them to move to other countries in the future. India has headquarters or branches of several missions for refugees that will help Afgan nationals to get settle in a better way. All applications are under consideration as their report from concerned intelligence agencies is awaited before issuing visas. The final decision will be made after the security clearance, the official added. Afghan nationals, who were evacuated to India under the new e-Emergency X-Miscellaneous visa, will be granted a six-month visa and later they will be provided with a ‘stay visa’ to all Afghanistan nationals who are staying in India due to disturbed conditions in the troubled country.
