Hindu Pakistani Nationals With Long-Term Visas Not Affected By Visa Ban, MEA Clarifies

Hours after formally announcing the decision to suspend visa services to Pakistani nationals, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday (24 April) clarified that the Long-Term Visas already issued to Hindus from Pakistan will remain valid.

In the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, the government had suspended all visa services for Pakistani nationals and revoked existing valid visas, effective 27 April.

Further, the medical visas issued to Pakistani nationals were also revoked.

"In continuation of the decisions made by the Cabinet Committee on Security in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India has decided to suspend visa services to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect. All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals stand revoked with effect from 27 April 2025," the MEA said in a statement on Thursday (24 April).

"Medical visas issued to Pakistani nationals will be valid only till 29 April 2025. All Pakistani nationals currently in India must leave India before the expiry of visas, as now amended," the MEA added.

Further, the ministry also advised all Indian nationals to avoid travelling to Pakistan.

"Those Indian nationals currently in Pakistan are also advised to return to India at the earliest," it added.

Issuing a clarification on the Visa issues, the MEA, in a separate statement, said,"It is hereby clarified that the revocation of visas specified in the above decision does not apply to the Long Term Visas (LTVs) already issued to Hindu Pakistani nationals, which remain valid".

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