India relaxes visa norms for U.S. nationals

U.S. nationals intending to visit India will not have to produce their birth certificates while applying for an Indian visa any more.

According to a tourism ministry official, the MEA has issued a direction to the Indian Missions in the U.S. to this effect. With 8,27,140 U.S. tourists visiting the country in 2009, USA has become the number one tourist generating market for India.

However, service providers in the travel trade sector have been requesting for quite some time, for waiving off the provision related to submission of birth certificates for the U.S. nationals at the time of applying for the Indian visa. This requirement of the Indian Missions in the U.S. affected the tourism sector.

The matter was taken up by the tourism ministry with the MEA which agreed to the request.