Foreign Minister acknowledges difficulties in obtaining Indian medical visa

Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid has acknowledged difficulties in obtaining medical visa to travel to neighboring India.

In a tweet posted on Saturday night, Minister Shahid said he was aware of the difficulties Maldivians face in getting medical visas to India, despite special arrangements already in place to facilitate easier process for Maldivian nationals. The minister said he was in touch with the Indian government regarding the issue, and said he was confident that a solution will be found shortly.

Maldivians who wish to travel to India for medical purposes have to stand in long queues for several hours to obtain the necessary travel documents. The strenuous visa process has always been a complaint of the Maldivian people while entry for Indian nationals into the Maldives is generally a smooth process.