Who Can Apply?

Conference Organized by Government Department etc.:

A Conference visa is granted to a foreigner:

Whose sole objective of visiting India is to attend a conference /seminar or workshop being held in India. Mission/Posts are authorized to issue Conference visas to delegates on production of an invitation to a conference/seminar/workshop being organized in India by a Ministry or Department of the Government of India, State Governments or UT administrations, Public Sector Undertakings, Central Educational Institutions, Public Funded Universities (list of such institutions are Available on the website www.education.nic.in and the websites of the University Grants Commission and Association of Indian Universities), or an organization owned and controlled by the Government of India or any State Government/ UT, United Nations or its specialized agencies.

Conference Organized by NGOs :

In case of Conference being organized by NGOs the following would be the requirement for issue of Conference Visa:

a)	Approval from Nodal/ Line Ministry of the Central Government or;
b)	Approval from Nodal/ Line Ministry of the State Government and
c)	Invitation for Conference from the organizer.

However, Ministry’s approval would be required for all conference visas to foreigners participating in conferences/ seminars/ workshops etc. in the following cases:-

(a)	Participants from Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan, foreigners of Pakistani origin and Stateless persons; and
(b)	Participants of conferences/seminars/workshops who are required to visit 'Restricted' or 'Protected' areas in India, or areas affected by terrorism, militancy and extremism etc. viz. Jammu & Kashmir and the North Eastern States.