1)

1. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has launched an on line Consular Grievances Monitoring System Portal tiled- "MADAD" (MEA in Aid of Diaspora in Distress). Any Indian citizen living in the jurisdictional area of the Consulate General of India can log in to register his/her Consular grievance for its redressal. MADAD portal can be accessed through Passport Seva web link- www.passportindia.gov.in.

2. Govt of Switzerland has its representations in India at - New Delhi (Embassy) and Consulates at Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Kolkata. Indians desirous of visiting Switzerland for Tourism, Education, Business purposes etc. may visit the respective sites of the Embassy and Consulates of the Govt of Switzerland in India to find out requirements of respective visas. Web site of the Swiss Govt in India i.e. www.swiss-cooperation.admin.ch/india may be visited for further relevant information.

2)

3)

For Commercial Enquiries the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM)/Commercial Representative (CR) of the Government of India at the Embassy of India, Bern may be contacted. The Contact details are - Telephone no. 00-41-31-3680680 and E.mail ID-political@indembassybern.ch

4)

"PIO Card holders are advised to get their card replaced by OCI card. Valid PIO Card holders, staying in the jurisdictional area of the Consulate General of India, Geneva are advised to visit our website www.pmindiaun.org and go to OCI link or may visit web site http://www.mha.nic.in directly to fill-up the form for registration of OCI card in place of PIO Card, without any registration fee. Properly filled up form may be deposited with CGI, Geneva with CHF 2/- as Consular surcharge. On line payment should be made in Permanent Mission of India account no. 0240-401506.03D (IBAN No. CH160024024040150603D). By 30th September conversion of PIO Card into OCI is mandatory for travelling to India"

5)

OCI card is like smart card and has several advantages. All PIO card holders are therefore, advised to get their PIO cards replaced by OCI card by 31.03.2016.

6)

REGISTRATION OF INDIAN NATIONALS STAYING IN JURISDICTIONAL AREA OF THE CGI, GENEVA

The Consulate General of India, Geneva advises all Indian nationals staying under the French speaking cantons of Switzerland to register themselves with CGI, Geneva. The idea behind this effort is to ‘Know Your Citizens’ by the Consulate General of India to be aware of their presence in its jurisdiction. It would also facilitate extending assistance/support whenever the Consulate is approached. Indian nationals are therefore requested to fill in the proforma attached and forward it to the Consulate by e.mail to- cg.geneva@mea.gov.in or post it to – The Consulate General of India, E-floor, 9 Rue Du Valais, 1202, Geneva.

7)

PUBLIC ADVISORY
 

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has set a deadline of the 24th November, 2015 for globally phasing out of all non-Machine Readable Passports (MRPs). From the 25th November, 2015 onwards, foreign Governments may deny Visa or entry to any person travelling on a non-Machine Readable Passport.
 

Indian citizens residing in India and abroad and holding such passports (hand written Passports) with validity beyond the 24th November, 2015 are advised to apply for re-issue of their passports well before the deadline in order to avoid any inconvenience in obtaining valid visa or international travel.
 

Indian nationals, staying under the jurisdictional area of Consulate General of India, Geneva are advised to contact the Consulate at 9 Rue Du Valais, E Floor, Geneva 1202 and get their hand written passports renewed and obtain Machine Readable Passport. For further detail of renewal of Passport visit our web site - www.pmindiaun.org.

8)

Government of India has launched "JEEVAN PRAMAAN" (Life Certificate) Portal to facilitate the Pensioners to submit remotely an 'Aadhar based Digital Life Certificate'. Further detail may be obtained from URL/Web-site: https://jeevanpramaan.gov.in

9)

Government of India has started providing eTourist visa(eTV) on arrival in India for nationals of several countries from 27.11.2014. For details log in our site- https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html . for completing online formalities for eTV before travelling to India

ELIGIBILITY:

1.VALID FOR ENTRY TO INDIA THROUGH THE FOLLOWING 9 AIRPORTS ONLY-

1. Bengaluru 2. Chennai 3. Cochin 4. Delhi 5. Goa 6. Hyderabad 7. Kolkata 8. Mumbai 9. Trivandrum. However, the foreigner can take exit from any of the authorized Immigration Check Posts (ICPs) in India.

2.NOT VALID FOR ENTRY FROM SEA PORTS IN INDIA (IF ARRIVING ON BOARD CRUISE SHIPS)

3.VALID ONLY FOR SINGLE ENTRY TO INDIA

4.MAXIMUM STAY PERMITTED 30 DAYS ONLY

5.ALLOWED FOR ONLY TWO VISITS IN ONE CALENDER YEAR

10)

1.Indian visa outsourcing with effect from 27 June 2014

2. All visa applicants are further advised to contact India Visa Application centre located at 70 Rue Du Lausanne 1202 Geneva or visit its website http://in.vfsglobal.ch/geneva or our website http://pmindiaun.org/ for details on submitting of visa applications and mode of payment of visa fees"

11)

"Further, fee consular services like – Passport, OCI, PIO, Attestation, and Renunciation etc. should only be transferred online to UBS Account no. 240-401506.03D (IBAN NO. CH16 0024 0240 4015 0603 D) of Permanent Mission India, Geneva. It is clarified that any fee with effect from 21.07.2014 deposited in post office account of consulate general of India, Geneva would be non-refundable and no services would be rendered against such postal receipts."

12)

It has been decided by Govt of India that while submitting Passport applications, self attested copies of all required documents i.e. birth certificate, educational documents, address proof etc. would suffice, instead of attested copies of the documents by a gazetted officer. It has also been decided that “Duly registered rent agreement, under Section 17 of the Registration Act, 1908 and executed in favour of the tenant by the landlord, for a period of more than one year, will be accepted as a valid proof of address” for the purpose of the submission of passport application.