India suspends visas for Pakistanis across 14 categories, warns of legal action for overstays
India on Friday suspended all visa services for Pakistani nationals with immediate effect, revoking all existing valid visas except for long-term, diplomatic, and official visas. The move is part of a series of strict diplomatic measures announced after Pakistani linkages emerged in the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this week, which killed 26 civilians.
An order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs’ foreigners division stated that no new visas will be issued to Pakistani citizens across 14 categories. These include SAARC visa, visa on arrival, business visa, film visa, journalist visa, transit visa, medical visa, conference visa, mountaineering visa, student visa, visitor visa, group tourist visa, pilgrim visa, and group pilgrim visa issued to minorities of Pakistan.
The order also laid out deadlines for Pakistani nationals currently in India to exit the country. Holders of visas under the 12 categories mentioned must leave by April 27, SAARC visa holders by April 26, and medical visa holders by April 29. Failure to leave India by the specified deadlines will lead to individuals being treated as overstaying foreign nationals and facing legal action under the newly enacted Immigration & Foreigners Act, 2025.
Diplomatic and official visa holders have been exempted from these exit deadlines, with their cases to be handled separately by the Ministry of External Affairs. Long-term visas issued to Pakistani citizens will also remain valid, and India clarified that there will be no restrictions on the issuance of new diplomatic, official, or long-term visas.
The decision marks one of the harshest diplomatic steps taken by India in recent years against Pakistan. It follows a raft of measures that include suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, and closure of the Attari land transit post, as tensions escalate sharply in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
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