AMN

Foreigners applying for Indian visa will now have to declare their criminal records as part of the new visa format. The move aims to check child sexual abuse and a range of other crimes by travellers.

In a series of tweets, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said her request to revise the Visa Application process for foreign nationals travelling to India by requiring them to declare any criminal record, has been accepted.

The Minister said that an appropriate questionnaire and a declaration will be incorporated in the visa application form to be filled up by visa applicants. She expressed gratitude to Home Minister Rajnath Singh for considering her request, which was based on complaints of serial child abuse offenders managing to visit India.

She added that this step will certainly be a strong deterrent for perpetrators of such heinous crimes.