India, Afghanistan not on visa-free entry list

Interior ministry says they will not be included for security reasons

ISLAMABAD:

The government has decided not to include India and Afghanistan in its plan of visa-free entry to citizens and businesspersons of friendly countries.

Sources said some members of the cabinet had inquired in a recent meeting whether the same ease of visa processing would be extended to nationals from India and Afghanistan. The Federal Ministry of Interior responded that these two countries would not be included for security reasons; however, religious tourism, particularly for Sikhs and Buddhists, would be facilitated.

The ministry assured appropriate safety measures were being taken, with all data connected to NADRA. Special instructions were being issued to the FIA and FBR to present a welcoming image of Pakistan through friendly and helpful engagement with travelers at all international airports. Service providers at the terminals were cautioned that they would be monitored through dashboards.

During the discussion, the cabinet was informed that the purpose of the electronic initiatives is to minimise human interaction and facilitate travel for tourists and businesspersons. The interior ministry highlighted that countries with liberal visa regimes benefit significantly from tourism, receiving millions of visitors and earning trillions annually. In this regard, measures are being taken to simplify visa processing for entry into Pakistan.

The new Electronic Travel Authorisation Form will reduce the required fields from 161 to 30, requesting only basic information. The processing time for the new electronic visa is expected to be around 30 minutes, with a maximum of 24 hours for complex cases. The abolition of visa fees aims to facilitate investment and tourism, generating valuable foreign exchange for the country.

The Aviation Division has been engaged to procure e-gates for installation at nine landing points/immigration checkpoints across Pakistan, including Gwadar. These portals will replace human immigration counters, with the first phase of installation at the international airports in Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. The programme is ready to be rolled out within the next seven days.

The ministry assured that appropriate safety measures were being taken, with all data connected to NADRA. Special instructions were being issued to the FIA and FBR to present a welcoming image of Pakistan through friendly and helpful engagement with travelers at all international airports. Service providers at the airports were cautioned that they would be monitored through dashboards.

A cabinet member suggested regular monitoring of the new visa regime for effective implementation. The interior ministry was requested to submit periodic compliance reports to the cabinet, providing information on the number of visas issued, rate of rejection, pending applications, and the number of visits undertaken. These recommendations were agreed upon.

Another cabinet member suggested that efforts should be made to ensure that the benefitting nations extend the same courtesy to Pakistani travelers. It was noted that some countries, like Saudi Arabia, require their citizens to obtain special permission to visit Pakistan, while China grants time-specific permissions for visits.

The cabinet recommended that the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs address these issues with the respective countries. Additionally, it was emphasised that any form of corruption in visa processing should not be tolerated.

The cabinet was informed that, in line with the prime minister's vision to liberalide the visa regime for businesspersons and tourists, the interior ministry had developed various visa reform proposals in consultation with key stakeholders and the PM's Office.

The ministry stated that Pakistan's visa policy, formulated under the Foreigners Act, 1946, has been amended periodically in response to changing socioeconomic conditions. The prime minister has expressed a desire to further liberalise the visa regime to attract businesspersons, investors, and tourists from friendly countries.

Accordingly, the ministry initiated several steps, including agreements for visa-free entry with Nepal and the Maldives. Additionally, a visa on arrival facility is available for 108 Business Visa List (BVL) countries and 64 Tourist List countries.

A Tabligh Visa on Arrival category is also provided for both BVL and Tourist List countries. However, the ministry emphasised that the timely issuance of visa on arrival, under the current visa regime, is not being implemented effectively.

Consultations were held with stakeholders, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Immigration and Passports (IMPASS), and various business chambers, on 22nd May 2024 and 24th May 2024.

During these meetings, stakeholders stressed the need to make the visa regime more accessible and less cumbersome. They argued that a restrictive visa policy hampers business operations, investment opportunities, tourism, and international cooperation.

It was recognised that easing visa restrictions would promote tourism, strengthen global integration, and further economic development and cultural exchanges. Following these consultations, a presentation was made to the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on 18th July 2024, and the ministry was directed to present the matter to the federal cabinet for consideration.

 

To attract businesspersons and tourists from GCC countries, it proposed visa-free entry may be permitted. Arrangements should be made with travel agencies/airlines to provide advance information on travel documents/itinerary for security purposes. This policy may be extended to Turkey and China subsequently.

To enhance business activity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has proposed adding 19 countries to the existing Business Visa List of 108 countries, expanding the document to 126 countries. Businesspersons traveling to Pakistan will be required to fill out the Electronic Travel Authorisation Form 24 hours before traveling, after which the visa will be issued electronically.

To encourage tourism, all countries in the expanded BVL, except Afghanistan, will also be included in the Tourist List. Tourists from these 126 countries will be permitted to enter Pakistan under similar terms.

To promote religious tourism, a separate sub-category of Sikh pilgrim entry authorisation may be created on similar terms for Sikh Yatrees holding third-country passports.

No fee will be charged at any stage or for any process related to the issuance of visas to applicants from these 126 countries. All previously applicable visa fees will be abolished.

Efficient and friendly immigration counters at airports/entry points will be established for all travelers, especially diplomats and first or business class passengers. A monitoring dashboard at the Ministry of Interior will be established to monitor any irregularities or delays in the visa issuance process.

The cabinet considered the summary dated 19 July, 2024, titled Prime Minister's Directives - Visa Free Entry to Citizens/Businesspersons of Friendly Countries, submitted by the Interior Division, and approved the proposals.

The cabinet directed the Ministry of Interior to monitor the implementation of the new electronic visa policy regularly, note any irregularities or delays, and submit quarterly reports to the cabinet. These reports should include country and category-wise information on the number of visas issued, average processing time, rate of rejection, pending applications, and the number of visits undertaken.

The cabinet also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to engage with counterpart ministries in Saudi Arabia and China to remove restrictive conditions on travel to Pakistan by their nations.