Taskforce recommends ways to streamline visitor visa

KATHMANDU, MARCH 3 : A taskforce that was constituted to carry a study for recommending methods to resolve the anomalies related to visitpr visa has submitted its report to Home Minister Balkrishna Khand.  

During a program held at the Home Ministry on Wednesday, Fanindramani Pokharel, coordinator of the taskforce as well as the ministry spokesperson, presented the study report to Minister Khand.

Formed on January 26, the taskforce comprises of joint secretary of Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil aviation, Buddhisagar Lamichhane, joint secretary of Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Shesh Narayan Poudel, joint secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Harishchandra Poudel, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Bhim Prasad Dhakal, joint secretary of the Department of Immigration, Prakash Chandra Adhikari and under secretary of the Foreign Employment Promotion Board, Dinbandhu Subedi, as its members. 

The very report has suggested for setting various provisions while issuing visit visa. One such provision is that the recipient of such visa should have at least Rs 500 thousand in bank account and Rs 1 million in bank account. Similarly, he/she needs to produce the proof of the booking of hotel and two-way air ticket. If anyone looking to fly to any gulf nation or Malaysia via visit visa, it is also mandatory for the person to get pre-approval from the Department of Immigration.   

Moreover, the report also prescribes for making a provision to cancel the license of a manpower company in the case of sending migrant workers to any international labour destinations by using visitor visa. 

According to Pokharel of the taskforce, the implementation of the suggested  provisions/criteria will help not  in simplifying the entire visa process but also in making it more prompt and transparent.