India allows 90-day exemption on medical visa for Maldivians

Indian government has allowed a 90-day exemption on visa for Maldivian traveling to the country on medical purposes. The restriction on a 60-day gap between two entries has also been lifted.

A senior official from the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, said, "There was a demand for medical visa rules relaxation from the Maldives," reports Travel Biz Monitor.

Following discussions between Indian Minister of State with Independent Charge for Tourism, Dr K Chiranjeevi and Indian Minister for Home Affairs Sushilkumar Shinde, it was also agreed that medical visa holders would be no longer required to report to the Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) if their visa is for less than 180 days.

During a state visit to India in early January, Maldives President Yameen Abdul Gayoom met with senior Indian officials and sought solutions for issue over the visa restrictions, which was placed following the unceremonious expulsion of Indian infrastructure giant GMR Group from managing the main Maldives gateway, Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.

In a joint statement following the visit, the President’s Office revealed that India has offered to allow visa free entry for medical purposes and also the removal of restrictions on re-entry within two months.