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| June 30, 2006 | Friday | Jumadi-ul-Sani 3, 1427 |
Pakistan announces revised visa policy for tourists, businessmen
ISLAMABAD, Jun 30 (APP): The government has announced a
revised and relatively eased up visa policy on Friday with a view to make the
country more tourist, trade, business and investor friendly. Federal Interior
Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao flanked by Minister for Tourism Nilofar
Bakthair announced the visa policy in a press conference here on Friday. Sherpao
said all Pakistani missions abroad have been given the authority to grant
various types of entry visas to foreign tourists, and other type of visitors on
their own without referring the applications to ministries at home. He said the
‘A’ category list of countries has now been expanded from 48 to 175 by adding
the entire residual list of 127 countries. Tourists friendly countries have also
been increased from two (China and Japan) to 23 for grant of Visa On Arrival (VOA)
to tourists through designated tour operators in Pakistan. He said the business
visa list has also been increased from 48 to 69 countries for grant of VOA to
foreign businessmen on production of recommendation letter from Chamber of
Commerce and Industry of the foreigner’s respective country or through an
invitation letter from business organization duly recommended by the concerned
trade organization, association in Pakistan or recommendatory letter by Honorary
Investment Counsellor of Board of Investment or Commercial Attache posted at
Pakistani missions abroad. He said Pakistani missions abroad will now grant five
years business visa with multiple entries to investors, businessmen within 24
hours on production of the said requirements. He also said the visa policy rule
of converting a business visa into a work visa and vice versa in Pakistan has
been discontinued. Now Pakistani missions abroad will be able to grant work visa
to foreign expatriates up to five years instead of previously allowed three
years, he said. About foreigners of Pakistani origin and their foreign spouses,
he said they will be granted five years multiple entry visas with duration of
one year stay, extendable in Pakistan on yearly basis. The minister said special
care has also been taken to promote travel and tourism with India to improve
Confidence Building Measures (CBM) between the two countries. He said visa for
civil society persons, senior citizens, children under 12, widows and divorcees
from India has been enhanced up to two years. Indian group tourists, he said,
would now be allowed 30 days visa instead of 14 days through designated tour
operators. Indian nationals (not less than 10 in number) would be allowed
pilgrimage visa to visit their specified holy shrines in Pakistan for 15 days
instead of five days, he added. In the revised visa policy, Indian businessmen
have been encouraged to visit Pakistan to promote business activity between the
two countries by adding new visa type called "Business Visa". He said they would
be allowed six months business visa with multiple entries and maximum stay of 30
days subject to production of their requisite documents.
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