India launches emergency electronic visa for Afghan refugees

Art students in Bombay call for support for the Afghan people.

The Indian government has decided to create an emergency electronic visa for Afghan refugees (Illustrative image).

© SUJIT JAISWAL / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

India, which has evacuated all its diplomatic staff from Kabul, is launching an emergency electronic visa for Afghan refugees.

The aim is to speed up the processing of the many requests received by New Delhi.

The government says it is particularly worried about the fate of the Sikh and Hindu communities.

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With our correspondent in Bangalore,

Côme Bastin

As of this morning, the Indian Embassy in Kabul has been closed.

But the government, a big supporter of the previous power in Afghanistan, wants to help those fleeing the Taliban.

It is therefore online that Afghan citizens can now apply for a special visa called X-Misc.

Residence permits will be issued for six months.

New Delhi has promised to process these requests as soon as possible.

The criteria for granting this visa are still unclear.

India does not have asylum seeker status, so the review will be done on a case-by-case basis and with the help of security agencies, according to the Interior Ministry.

The government has indicated in recent days that it wants to give refuge to the Hindu and Sikh minorities, who fear for their lives under the yoke of the Taliban.

4,600 visas issued in 15 days

Voices were raised against this denominational distinction, which recalls the citizenship laws at the origin of monster demonstrations in India in early 2020. However, officials clarified this morning that this electronic visa would be granted without distinction of religion.

India had in the past hosted the families of Afghan negotiator Abdullah Abdullah or President Hamid Karzai.

Over the past two weeks, India has issued 4,600 visas to Afghan citizens.

►Also read: In Afghanistan, while the Taliban promise peace, the world is watching with concern

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  • India

  • Afghanistan

  • Immigration

  • International Migration

  • Refugees