Coronovirus Outbreak: Government Suspends E-Visa Facility For Chinese Nationals And Foreigners Residing In China

With the threat and spread of Novel Coronavirus widening quickly, the Government of India on Sunday (2 February) announced a temporary suspension of the e-visa facility for Chinese travellers and foreigners residing in China in a bid to contain the risk of the virus finding any grip in the country, reports the Times of India.

The suspension has also been made effective on the e-visas which have already been issued to Chinese nationals or foreigners residing in China, and such e-visas shall no longer remain valid. The ones with a compelling reason to visit India have thus been directed to contact the Embassy of India in Beijing, or its consulates in the cities of Shanghai or Guangzhou.

The development comes as the virus has led to the death of as many as 300 people, infecting 14,562 others in over 25 countries including India, the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK).

Meanwhile, given the alarming situation, India has so far lifted out of China as many as 654 people, of which seven belonged to Maldives, while the rest were all Indian nationals. Of them, 323 people were lifted out of the city of Wuhan alone.