India on Monday announced that Pakistani senior citizens aged over 65 would be issued visas on arrival at the Wagah land border crossing from January 15 under a landmark liberalised visa agreement signed by the two countries last year.
The visa on arrival facility will not be available at any other immigration or border point. Pakistani senior citizens will be issued a 45-day, single-entry visa valid for up to five places.
They will also be exempted from police reporting, which is mandatory for most Pakistani travellers.
"With the operationalisation of the new Bilateral India Pakistan Visa Agreement 2012, the provision of visa on arrival at Wagha-Attari immigration check post for Pakistani passport holders more than 65 years of age comes into effect from January 15," the Indian High Commission said in a statement.
Visas on arrival will be issued daily between 10 am and 4 pm to senior citizens crossing on foot via Wagah. They will be allowed to "visit any place in India, except Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Kerala and other prohibited areas".
The visa on arrival facility can be availed only "to visit India to meet friends or relatives" and it cannot be used for business, medical, conference, employment, pilgrimage or any other purpose.
For these categories, applicants should approach the Indian High Commission and apply for regular visas.
A Pakistani citizen can avail of the visa on arrival facility only two times a year and the visas will be non-extendable and non-convertible. The senior citizens will be allowed to enter and exit only via Wagah on foot.
The senior citizens will have to fill a form and present a copy of their National Identity Card, a utility bill as proof of residence, Pakistani passport, two passport-size photographs, confirmation of booking if staying in a hotel and the name and address of the person being visited in India.
The fee for visa on arrival is Rs 100.
