London: The Union Home Ministry has advised
Indian missions abroad to extend long-term visas to Goans
settled abroad, NRI Commissioner Eduardo Faleiro has said.
Inaugurating a two-day global Goans Convention at the
Indian Gymkhana near Osterley here, Faleiro said he had taken
up the issue with the Union home minister after receiving
"several complaints from Goans holding foreign passports that
some of our Embassies and High commissions abroad issue them
tourist visas, lasting three to six months."
Faleiro, a former Union Minister of State for External
Affairs, said that the Union Home Minister agreed that the
procedure being followed is not correct and that Goans settled
abroad must be given long-terms visas or X (extendable)
visas.
"The minister informed me that his Ministry is
advising the Missions concerned as well as the Foreigners
Regional Registration Office, Goa to ensure that long term
visas are issued to them and these visas are extended from
time to time," Faleiro.
He advised all Non-Resident Goans holding foreign
passports to apply at the earliest for a PIO (Person of Indian
Origin) or OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card.
"This will entitle them to stay in India for 15 years
or 30 years respectively without any need for a visa. The PIO
and OCI cards are renewable."
"In order to redeem the grievances of non-resident
Goans, we have decided that every Goan organisation abroad
should nominate one representative based in Goa of each
country with substantial Goan population and this
representative should submit the grievances of Goan
expatriates to our office.
Our Office will then forward these complaints to the
concerned department and we expect redressal within a month.
When this is not possible, status reports will be issued to
the concerned individual every month indicating the progress
in the settlement of his grievances until the matter is
finally settled."
He said Youth of Goan origin who are not Indian
nationals should have an opportunity to discover Goa in
particular and India in general so that they may contribute to
and promote understanding, goodwill, and cooperation between
their country of adoption and the country of origin which is
India.
For this purpose, "Know Goa Programme" has been
formulated. He said under the programme, 10 youths from Goan
diaspora, professionals and students in the age group of 18 to
26 years, will be selected every year to participate in the
programme.
PTI
