Executive Summary:
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) details its efforts to provide effective citizen services, including consular assistance, increased eVisa facilities, and support for international pilgrims. Since 2014, the MEA has significantly expanded eVisa availability and facilitated religious pilgrimages, particularly for Haj and Sikh pilgrims, while also addressing the grievances of Indian nationals abroad through various channels and support systems. The agreement for the facilitation of pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur has been extended for another 5 years in October 2024. Kartarpur corridor operations have been suspended since Operation Sindoor.
Key Points / Main Content:
Citizen Services and Consular Assistance:
* Indian Missions prioritize responsive and efficient consular services for Indian nationals abroad.
* Grievances are addressed through calls, walk-ins, emails, social media, 24x7 Helplines, and Open Houses.
* Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendras (PBSKs) in Dubai, Sharjah, Riyadh, Jeddah, and Kuala Lumpur assist Indian workers.
* Shelter homes are available for distressed Indian nationals at select Missions/Posts.
* Financial aid is provided through the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) during emergencies.
* Missions/Posts proactively help distressed Indians with food, shelter, medicine, and repatriation during crises.
eVisa Facility:
* Visa policies are a sovereign matter but are discussed bilaterally to improve travel ease for Indian citizens.
* The number of eVisa-eligible countries increased from 43 in 2014 to 181 in 2025.
* A total of 18,631,599 eVisas have been issued since 2014 (up to 20.07.2025).
International Pilgrim Operations:
* Government initiatives ensure smooth execution through administrative oversight, consular assistance, coordination with local governments, and medical facilities.
Haj Pilgrimage:
* The Government supports Indian nationals undertaking the Haj pilgrimage.
* Collaboration with the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA), the Haj Committee of India (HCoI), and Saudi authorities provides comprehensive support, including medical, accommodation, transportation, and catering services.
* The Consulate in Jeddah coordinates pilgrim arrivals/departures and offers consular assistance.
* India's Haj quota has averaged 175,025 pilgrims in recent years.
Sikh Pilgrims:
* Under the 1974 India-Pakistan Protocol, the Government facilitates visits to religious shrines.
* The Kartarpur Corridor Agreement (signed October 24, 2019) allows visa-free travel for Indian pilgrims and OCI cardholders to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan.
* Advanced infrastructure on the Indian side includes a highway and Integrated Check Post (ICP).
* Over 400,000 pilgrims have used the corridor since its inauguration on November 9, 2019.
* The Government urges Pakistan to waive the USD 20 fee levied on each pilgrim.
* The Kartarpur Corridor Agreement has been extended for another 5 years in October 2024.
* Kartarpur corridor operations have been suspended since Operation Sindoor.
Impact Analysis:
Indian Nationals Abroad:
* Impact: Benefit from improved consular services, financial assistance in emergencies, and support through PBSKs and shelter homes.
* Action Required: Utilize available resources like helplines, social media channels, and PBSKs to address grievances and seek assistance when needed.
Indian Citizens Planning International Travel:
* Impact: Greater ease of travel to an increasing number of countries due to the expanded eVisa program.
* Action Required: Check the updated list of eVisa-eligible countries before planning travel.
Haj Pilgrims:
* Impact: Comprehensive support and facilitation throughout the Haj pilgrimage, including medical assistance, accommodation, and transportation.
* Action Required: Coordinate with the MoMA and HCoI for pilgrimage arrangements and assistance.
Sikh Pilgrims Visiting Kartarpur:
* Impact: Visa-free access to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur via the Kartarpur Corridor, subject to corridor operations.
* Action Required: Stay informed about the operational status of the Kartarpur Corridor and any applicable fees or requirements imposed by Pakistan.
Government of Pakistan:
* Impact: Urged to remove the USD 20 fee levied on pilgrims visiting Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur.
* Action Required: Consider waiving the fee in deference to the wishes of the pilgrims.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of External Affairs: The Indian government ministry responsible for the country's foreign relations.
eVisa: Electronic visa facility provided by countries to ease travel for foreign citizens. India has increased the number of countries under this facility.
Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendras (PBSKs): Assistance centers set up in Dubai, Sharjah, Riyadh, Jeddah and Kuala Lumpur to aid Indian workers abroad.
Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF): A fund used to provide financial assistance to distressed Indian nationals abroad.
Haj Committee of India (HCoI): Indian committee that works with the Ministry of Minority Affairs and Saudi authorities to support Indian nationals undertaking the Haj pilgrimage.
Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA): The Indian government ministry responsible for matters related to minority communities, including facilitating the Haj pilgrimage.
India-Pakistan Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines 1974: A bilateral agreement between India and Pakistan that facilitates visits of pilgrims to religious shrines in both countries.
Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Narowal, Pakistan: A significant Sikh shrine located in Narowal, Pakistan, accessible to Indian pilgrims through the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 2106
ANSWERED ON - 01/08/2025
EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF CITIZEN SERVICES
2106. SHRI BHARATSINJI SHANKARJI DABHI
SHRI CHAVDA VINOD LAKHAMSHI
SHRI PARBHUBHAI NAGARBHAI VASAVA
SHRI SUKHJINDER SINGH RANDHAWA
SHRI CHHATRAPAL SINGH GANGWAR
MS KANGNA RANAUT
SHRI GODAM NAGESH
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the efforts undertaken by the Ministry for responsive and effective
delivery of citizen services;
(b) the steps taken by the Government to increase the number of
countries providing e-Visa facility;
(c) the total number of e-Visas issued since the year 2014 and the
increase in number of countries covered under the e-Visa facility;
(d) the role of the Ministry in providing assistance to the international
pilgrims; and
1(e) the details of the assistance extended to Haj and Sikh pilgrims?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) The Government has taken several steps to ensure responsive and
efficient delivery of consular services for Indian nationals abroad,
through Indian Missions on priority basis. Grievances are responded
through various channels like calls, walk-ins, e-mails, social media,
24x7 Helplines and Open Houses. Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendras
(PBSKs) have been set up at Dubai, Sharjah, Riyadh, Jeddah and Kuala
Lumpur to provide assistance to Indian workers abroad. Shelter homes
for distressed Indian nationals have also been set up at some
Missions/Posts. Mission officials visit immigration offices and labour
camps to address the complaints of Indian workers. Financial
assistance to distressed Indians, if necessary, is provided through the
Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF). During emergency or crisis
situations, our Missions/Posts abroad pro-actively help
distressed/stranded Indian nationals in terms of providing food, shelter,
medicine and helping their return to India.
(b) Formulation of the visa related policies is a sovereign matter of the
concerned country. However, visa related matters, particularly visa
2policies intended to improve ease of travel for Indian citizens are taken
up by the Government through bilateral mechanisms, including during
Consular Dialogues with foreign countries and during High level visits.
(c) Total number of e-Visa granted since 2014 to 20.07.2025 are
1,86,31,599. Number of countries being granted e-Visa have increased
from 43 in 2014 to 181 in 2025.
(d) The Government has implemented various measures to ensure the
smooth execution of International Pilgrim Operations. Key components
of these initiatives include Administrative Oversight, Consular
Assistance, Coordination with local Governments and Medical
Facilities.
(e) (i) Haj Operations: The Government plays an important role in
ensuring the smooth execution of Haj pilgrimage for Indian nationals. It
works in close coordination with Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) and
Haj Committee of India (HCoI) and Saudi authorities to deliver
comprehensive support across all phases of the pilgrimage. This
includes providing various services such as medical support,
accommodation, transportation, catering, sanitation and utilities
through its consulate in Jeddah. The consulate coordinates the smooth
arrival and departure of pilgrims and also provides consular assistance
to Indian pilgrims throughout their stay in Saudi Arabia in coordination
with Saudi authorities. Each year the Saudi authorities announce a Haj
3quota for India. In recent years, this quota has on an average been set
at 1,75,025 Indian pilgrims.
(ii) Sikh Pilgrims: Under the India-Pakistan Protocol on Visits to
Religious Shrines - 1974, the Government facilitates visits of pilgrims
between the two countries.
An Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the
Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the facilitation of
Pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Narowal, Pakistan,
was signed on 24 October 2019 in order to fulfil the long-standing
demand of the pilgrims to have easy and smooth access to the holy
Gurudwara and to operationalise the corridor for the 550th Birth
Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
The Agreement, inter alia, provides for visa-free travel of Indian
pilgrims as well as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders, from
India to the holy Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan on a
daily basis, throughout the year. To facilitate the visit of pilgrims, a
state-of-the-art infrastructure, including a highway from the town of
Dera Baba Nanak to Zero Point and an Integrated Check Post (ICP) have
been built on the Indian side. The Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor was
inaugurated on 9 November 2019. Since its inauguration, the Corridor
has been used by over 4,00,000 pilgrims to visit the holy Gurudwara in
Pakistan.
4The Government of India has consistently urged the Government
of Pakistan that in deference to the wishes of the pilgrims, it should not
levy any fee or charge on the pilgrims who visit Gurudwara Darbar
Sahib Kartarpur through the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor. Pakistan,
however, continues to levy USD 20 on every pilgrim for each visit. The
validity of this Agreement was extended for a period of another 5 years
in October 2024.
Kartarpur corridor operations have been suspended since
Operation Sindoor.
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