Centre issues guidelines for Indians stranded abroad
NEW DELHI : The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issues standard operating procedures for movement of Indian nationals stranded outside the country.
“Passengers found to be symptomatic shall be immediately taken to medical facility. Remaining passengers shall be taken to suitable institutional quarantine facilities to be arranged by respective states. These passengers shall be kept under institutional quarantine for 14 days.
“If they test negative after 14 days, they will be allowed to go home and will undertake self-monitoring of their health for 14 more days as per protocol. The remaining people will be shifted to medical facility by states/UTs governments,” the statement said.
In an another decision The government today suspended all existing visas granted to foreign nationals, barring a few categories, till international air travel to and from India remains shut due to the coronavirus pandemic, an order said.
In a separate order, the Union Home Ministry also said it has extended on ‘gratis’ basis the visas of foreigners stranded in India due the lockdown. The extension will be for a period of 30 days beyond opening of international travel in the country.
The ministry also said it has kept in abeyance multiple-entry life-long visas given to Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card holders till international travel remains suspended. However, the OCI card holders who are already in India can stay in the country for “any length of time”, it said.
(With Agency Inputs ).
