New Delhi:
Shashi Tharoor has made his displeasure with the new visa rules amply clear on twitter.
But those who are impacted most by these new rules say at this point there is simply no clarity on how these rules work.
Antony Caplin, an American citizen who has a 10-year tourist visa, wants to be in Nepal on New Year's Eve. But the new visa rules don't permit that.
"I'm in India as a tourist on a multiple entry visa and I have the return ticket to the US. I wish to go to Nepal but I'm hearing that if I go to Nepal, I have to stay out for at least two months," says Antony.
Many like him are seeking clarity on the new visa rules at the foreigner's registration office in Delhi.
"Information is the biggest problem. Websites are not updated," says another tourist.
As per the new rules, foreigners with long-term tourist visas cannot return to India for two months after they have left the country. Also they cannot use tourist visas for business or business visas for employment purposes.
Earlier, those on long-term visas could easily fly to a neighbouring country for a brief stay and return.
But after it was revealed that terror suspect David Headley misused his visa, the government made visa norms strict.
Mr. Sharma, a property agent at South Delhi's Defence Colony, a preferred residential area of foreigners, says a number of tourists who live here come on tourists' visas but they also work, mostly on the Internet.
Experts feel the new visa regulations are bound to bring down the numbers of the tourists coming to India; the Indian government though says it can deal with this.
But those who are impacted most by these new rules say at this point there is simply no clarity on how these rules work.
Antony Caplin, an American citizen who has a 10-year tourist visa, wants to be in Nepal on New Year's Eve. But the new visa rules don't permit that.
"I'm in India as a tourist on a multiple entry visa and I have the return ticket to the US. I wish to go to Nepal but I'm hearing that if I go to Nepal, I have to stay out for at least two months," says Antony.
Many like him are seeking clarity on the new visa rules at the foreigner's registration office in Delhi.
"Information is the biggest problem. Websites are not updated," says another tourist.
As per the new rules, foreigners with long-term tourist visas cannot return to India for two months after they have left the country. Also they cannot use tourist visas for business or business visas for employment purposes.
Earlier, those on long-term visas could easily fly to a neighbouring country for a brief stay and return.
But after it was revealed that terror suspect David Headley misused his visa, the government made visa norms strict.
Mr. Sharma, a property agent at South Delhi's Defence Colony, a preferred residential area of foreigners, says a number of tourists who live here come on tourists' visas but they also work, mostly on the Internet.
Experts feel the new visa regulations are bound to bring down the numbers of the tourists coming to India; the Indian government though says it can deal with this.
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