234% increase in Indian medical visas for Omanis
Date
8/23/2016 1:02:32 AM
(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat-
The number of Indian medical visas issued to Omanis has seen a whopping 234 per cent rise in the first half of 2016 compared to the same period last year.
While 3,276 medical visas, including those for attendants were issued in H1 2015, the figure has risen to 10,933 in the first half of 2016. The Indian government is considering a proposal to bring down medical visa fee. In an interview to Muscat Daily, H E Indra Mani Pandey, the Indian Ambassador to Oman said, 'While the number of medical visas issued (including medical attendants) from January to June this year is 10,933, the number for the whole of 2015 was 9,157. The total number of tourist visas issued last year was 83,959. Of the total, H1 2015 had 40,952. Figures for the first half of this year stand at 32,942.' H E Pandey added, 'There is a possibility that more people are now aware that they must travel on medical visas if going to India for treatment purposes. This is how the reduction in the number of tourist visas issued this year can be analysed so far.' The difference is of 8,010 visas, and 'the figure is quite significant'. Muscat Daily had reported on November 9, 2015 that the Indian government has made it mandatory for people visiting the country on treatment to travel on medical visas. 'Citizens seeking to travel to India for 'treatment purposes' must have a 'medical visa' in order to prevent being denied entry,' India's Ministry of External Affairs stated. Talking on reducing medical visa fee, H E Pandey said, 'The matter is under discussion. There should be same fee for both medical and tourist visas. We hope a decision will be taken soon.' Currently, the fee for medical visa to India is RO35.7 and RO50.2 in the case of Tatkal (urgent) which is processed within 24 hours. Regular tourist visa fee is RO20. 'While tourism tops the list of the type of visas issued to Omanis by the Indian Embassy, next in the list is medical visas, followed by business visas,' H E Pandey said. He said that 846 business visas were issued in 2015, the number stands at 497 till June this year. Quoting a recent report, he added, 'Across the world, Oman was the fifth source of medical visas to India in 2015. The highest number of patients last year was from Bangladesh (68,034), followed by Afghanistan (19,644), Nigeria (5,765), Iran (5,656) and Oman (4,728.).' He added, 'The number of medical visas issued in 2013 was 56,129 and 2014 was 75,671. It further increased in 2015 to 1,34,344 up by almost 80 per cent. The first six months of this year has seen 96,856 medical visas issued.'