India resumes limited visa issuance for Afghan nationals

India has resumed issuing visas to select Afghan citizens after nearly three years of suspension, according to Indian newspaper The Hindu. Visas are currently granted to traders, patients, artists, athletes, and family members of Afghan students in India.

The online application process restarted in late April, but no formal announcement has been made by India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Visa services were halted after the political shift in Afghanistan in August 2021, disrupting access to education and healthcare in India. The move is seen as a cautious step toward restoring humanitarian and people-to-people ties.