312 Sikh foreign nationals removed from Centre's Adverse List

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NEW DELHI: The Centre has removed the names of removed 312 Sikh foreign nationals from its 'Adverse List'. The updated list now contains the name of two individuals. The 312 Sikh foreign nationals are now eligible to avail Visa services to visit family in India and reconnect to their roots.

“This review is a continuous and dynamic process and is a part of a regular exercise. Such a review will afford an opportunity to such Sikh foreign nationals to visit India, meet their family members and reconnect to their roots,” said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

“During 1980s, many Sikh Indian nationals and foreign nationals belonging to Sikh community fell to anti-India propaganda. Some Sikh Indian nationals fled India to escape Indian authorities, became foreign nationals and took asylum outside India. They were placed in the adverse list till 2016, making them ineligible to avail visa services to visit India,” it added. 

The practice of maintenance of local adverse lists by Indian missions abroad has also been discontinued.

“One major issue coming in the way of grant of consular/visa services to asylees and their family members, mostly belonging to Sikh community, was maintenance of local adverse lists by Indian Missions. This practise has also been discontinued. Consequently, all Indian Missions/Posts abroad have been advised to grant appropriate visa to all categories of asylees and derivative asylees (i.e. family members) whose names do not figure in the Central Adverse List, in line with the procedure followed for other categories of applicants of that nationality,” said the Centre. 

“Secondly, all categories of asylees who become eligible for issuance of long term Indian visa will also be eligible to apply for registration as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder after they have applied for and held normal visas for a period of two years,” it said.

All Indian missions abroad have also been advised to grant an appropriate visa to all categories of asylees and derivative asylees (family members) whose names do not figure in the Central Adverse List, in line with the procedure followed for other categories of applicants of that nationality.