India has waived away the need for an online ‘appointment date’ for processing visa applications for all categories, except tourists visas, with effect from Feb 1.

Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) says they will accept all categories of visas except tourists’ visas on a “walk-in basis” without an ‘appointment date’.

The decision has been taken to ease the process amid large scale complaints that many people do not get appointment date when they apply online.

The IVAC centres in Chittagong and Rajshahi have already implemented this decision few months ago.

Now it will be enforced in the three centres in Dhaka –Gulshan, Motijheel and Dhanmondi -- and one at Khulna.

Medical emergency visa-seekers had recently been allowed to submit applications on a “walk-in basis” without an appointment date in all centres.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pankaj Saran on Jan 18 at Agartala said they were trying to simplify and liberalise visa system for Bangladeshis.

He had said he was aware of the problems Bangladeshi people face applying for Indian visa after the system went fully online, but for the better.

“The entire process is technical and controlled from a central visa system in Delhi. I am aware of the problems and am looking into different solutions.

“We are trying to find visas which you can take without an appointment date. We are looking at that also,” he had said.

Rarely does any country operate a bigger visa operation as India does in Bangladesh

bdnews24.com/LY