India suspends visas till April 15 over coronavirus

Indian government has suspended all visas till April 15 as the cases of coronavirus in the country sharply spiked and the World Health Organization declared it a pandemic, reports NDTV.

Altogether, 67 people in India are infected, a section of them are a group of tourists from Italy, the report said.

Indian High Commission in Dhaka also issued a notice in this regard on its website that says:

"In view of existing spread of COVID-19, Government of India has decided that all valid visas issued by the High Commission of India or the Assistant High Commissions of India in Bangladesh on or before 12/03/20 will remain suspended from 13/03/20, 6pm till 15/04/20. No new visas shall be issued from 13/03/20."

The Union health ministry said all existing visas -- except diplomatic, official, UN/International organisations, employment and project visas -- will be suspended till April 15.

"This will come into effect from 12:00 GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure," read a communique issued late Wednesday night after a meeting of a Group of Ministers headed by Indian Health Minister Dr Harshvardhan.

Visa facilities had been partially suspended earlier from the COVID-19 nations, countries where the virus is on a rampage.