LTVs and diplomat visas of Pakistan nationals remain valid, say officials

A BSF soldier checks the passports of Pakistan citizens near Amritsar on April 26, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Long term visas (LTVs) and official or diplomatic visas will remain valid even after the April 29 deadline when Indian visas issued to Pakistani citizens will be revoked.

Officials here clarified on the issue saying that of the 16 categories of visas issued by India to Pakistan nationals, two categories would remain valid after Tuesday (April 29, 2025) and that validity of the LTVs will not be impacted by the religious identity of the visa holders.

Also Read | Pahalgam terror attack: J&K Assembly unanimously passes resolution against the attack; Omar’s emotional speech highlights local response

On April 23, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced that all visas issued to Pakistan nationals under SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) would be revoked on April 26. Briefing the media on April 23, Mr. Misri urged all Pakistani nationals with “valid endorsements” to exit India through the Integrated Check Post at Attari by May 1.

Rest of the visas such as “visa on arrival”, visas issued to business persons, visitors, film industry workers, journalists, visas issued for transit, conference, mountaineering, and tourist groups were revoked on April 27. Apart from these, pilgrim visas and group pilgrim visas to religious minorities of Pakistan were also revoked.

As per the official notification, the deadline for visa for officials and diplomats from Pakistan will be determined by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Also Read | India blocks 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, writes to BBC on its terror attack coverage

An official note circulated by the Ministry of External Affairs on April 24 said that the Long Term Visas would remain valid after April 29 only in cases of Pakistani Hindu visitors. Referring to that decision, the official note had declared: “The revocation of visas does not apply to the Long Term Visas (LTVs) already issued to Hindu Pakistani nationals, which remain valid.”

But an official source said on Monday that “all” Long Term Visas issued to Pakistani citizens will remain valid after April 29.