Speed up visas for Indian-origin people: Punjab
Friday, July 08, 2011http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/us-canada-news/Speed-up-visas-for-Indian-origin-people-Punjab/articleshow/9137174.cms
The Punjab government has asked the external affairs ministry to remove hurdles faced by people of Indian origin ( PIO) in the US in obtaining visa to visit India.
Punjab Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Affairs Minister Captain Balbir Singh Bath, who met Union Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur here, also asked the central government to expedite the visa applications from PIOs in the US from his state and to clear the backlog.
Bath told reporters here soon after his meeting with Kaur that she assured to address the PIOs' issue, not just of the US, but from other countries too.
He said during his recent visit to the US, several PIOs from Punjab had brought to his notice the delay in getting visas to visit India for both business purposes and to meet their family members and relatives.
"There is a huge backlog of applications for obtaining visas. The applicants have to wait for months to get their visa applications processed. It has resulted in exasperation and anger among PIOs," Bath said.
"Such delays in providing visas will prove counter-productive as these PIOs contribute to India's economy," he said.
