Afghanistan migrant crisis: Visa applications of 60,000 Afghans under review, says MHA

Amid ongoing crisis in Afghanistan, nearly 60,000 visa applications of Afghan nationals under India's new 'e-Emergency X-Misc Visa' are under consideration, a Ministry of Home Affairs official informed.

News agency ANI quoted a senior official of Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as saying that  visa applications for such a large number of nationals from a single country were under process after Indian government introduced a new category under emergency e-visa, just two days after collapse of Afghan government.

E-visas for Afghans in India

According to newly introduced category, all Afghans, irrespective of ir religion, can apply for 'e-Emergency X-Misc Visa' online and applications will be processed in New Delhi.  MHA official has reportedly informed that ministry h received around 20,000 requests from Afghan nationals within two days of introduction of ''e-Emergency X-Misc Visa'.

official said that applications that were under consideration would be cleared once intelligence agencies gave green signals to m. " final decision will be me after security clearance," official ded. official also informed that Indian Embassy cancelled stamp visas that were applied before August 15 after 11,000 visas were reportedly stolen from embassy. "All stamp visas were cancelled with immediate effect," said MHA official. According to him, normally, a window of 30 days has been me for security clearance in case of e-visas. visa is issued once it gets clearance from intelligence agencies.

Afghanistan migrant crisis: Several seek asylum in India

As process needs at least 30 days, government has introduced 'e-Emergency X-Misc Visa' to facilitate fast-track urgent applications for entry to India. "Most of applications have been received from Afghan nationals who moved to Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and or joining countries after Taliban h taken over government," said MHA official.

Since India has hequarters or branches of several missions for refugees, several applicants are seeking asylum in India as it helps m to move to or countries in future. official informed that those Afghan nationals who were evacuated to India under new e-Emergency X-Miscellaneous visa will be granted a six-month visa. Subsequently, y will be provided with a 'stay visa' due to Afghanistan migrant crisis.

(With inputs from ANI, Image: AP)