According to a report in the Times of India, expatriates in Gujarat received a notice from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), stating them to leave India before September 30, 2009. As a result foreign nationals are vacating hotels in Surat. Three, four and five-star hotels have been instructed to ask such foreign nationals to vacate rooms.
G S Malik, Additional Commissioner of Police (special branch), has sent notices to the expatriates. He said, “All foreign nationals who are already in the country on business visas and engaged in executing projects/contracts should leave the country on expiry of their existing visas or by September 30, 2009, positively, whichever is earlier.”
Malik said, “We are just following orders from the MEA. We have not been told why the Centre wants this.”
Special branch officials said in Ahmedabad there are 21 registered business visa holders. These include nine from US, six from UK and the rest from other European countries.
According to sources, the Centre has decided to stop misuse of business visas by expatriates for employment. |