The Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of home Affairs of the government of india control visa policies. india is open to giving visas to citizens of all countries, but in certain circumstances, visas can be denied. india bans visas in specific circumstances such as security concerns or diplomatic tensions. So first of all, let us know when and under what circumstances india bans visas and which are the countries to which india does not give visas?
When does india not give visas
Security and terrorism-related concerns: india has tightened the visa process for citizens of some countries in recent years, especially for those countries from which there is a threat of terrorist activities. For example, after the pahalgam terror attack (22 april 2025), india canceled all existing visas (except diplomatic and official visas) for Pakistani citizens from 27 april 2025. During this time, india had temporarily stopped issuing new visas. Thus, visa procedures may be stricter or visas may be denied to citizens of countries whose citizens are linked to terrorism or whose diplomatic relations with india are strained.
Unrecognised countries: india does not issue visas to citizens of countries it does not officially recognise. For example, india does not recognise taiwan as an independent country but considers it part of China. Therefore, Taiwanese citizens may have to obtain special permission or obtain a visa on the basis of a Chinese passport to enter India.
Special circumstances and individual grounds: The indian government may deny visas to certain individuals on grounds of national security, criminal record or illegal activities even if their country is not banned. For example, if a person is blacklisted or his name is on the list of indian security agencies, he will not get a visa, no matter which country he is a citizen of.
Basis on tension: india keeps visa rules stricter for countries with which there are security threats or diplomatic disputes. Currently, citizens of pakistan and in some cases bangladesh find it most difficult to obtain visas, especially after the terrorist attacks.
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