Indian Ambassador to the Maldives Sunjay Sudhir says obtaining Indian medical VISAs to Maldivians is easier than what is being portrayed.
In an exclusive interview given to Mihaaru news last week, Sudhir said that as per an agreement between the two nations, Maldivians were able to enter India previously without any prior VISAs. He said the world is not the same as it was pre-pandemic, and even when the world was going through several travel bans, India had ensured Maldivians could enter their country.
"People say, and I have seen this on social media, 'why is there no E-VISA facility for Maldives?' Actually, E-VISA facility is [available] for so many countries in the world from India's perspective. But for Maldives there is a facility that is much higher than E-VISA. Which is no VISA," Sudhir said.
''India has this no VISA policy, this VISA free policy probably with three countries; Bhutan, Nepal, and Maldives."
He said India has issued VISAs to over 13,000 Maldivians after they had initially closed their border following the coronavirus pandemic.
Photos showing people queuing outside the Indian High Commission have been circulating on social media. People that criticize the relationship between India and Maldives often bring up the slower VISA issuing process as one of the key issues.
Sudhir said the Indian High Commission had actually organized an easy way to get VISAs for Maldivians. Applications are done online and then High Commission would inform when the VISA seeker has their appointment as well.
"Everyday we issue something like 100 VISAs, and the number is increasing."
VISAs are issued on a timely manner to ensure not all 100 people queue outside, he said.
''... People will get a date and time [after they complete their online application], 'on this day, come.' What we have done is, again to further streamline it, we have given time slots of one hour. So, 10 to 11, 11 to 12," Sudhir said.
Regardless, people queue outside earlier than the time set for them. He said they have wait outside as the Indian High Commission has to comply with the COVID regulations set by Health Protection Agency (HPA) and also due to space constraints as their building is small.
He said that while it may take some time to get an appointment with Indian High Commission, it is only due to the high demand. This is caused due to lack of entry without a VISA, when previously, Maldivians could enter without one. However, he reiterated that once the appointment with the High Commission is completed, the VISA is issued within 24 hours.
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