Emergency Relief: India Extends Visas and Waives Overstay Penalties for Foreigners Amid Gulf Conflict

The Consulate General of India, Dubai, has made an announcement dated March 13, 2026, regarding the extension of the regular Indian visa/e-visa and the waiver of the overstay penalty for foreigners stuck in India.

Considering the ongoing conflict situation in the Gulf region, the Indian Government has taken some measures to support travellers who are unable to leave India on time because of disruptions such as flight cancellations or other travel issues.

As per the announcement, all types of visas/e-visas whose expiration date is about to end will be extended for a further month. No fee will be charged for this extension. These extensions will be managed by the Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRROs) in India and will be awarded on a case-by-case basis for people affected by the situation.

Additionally, the government has also decided to waive any penalty for foreigners who have overstayed their visas after February 28, 2026, due to the current developments in West Asia. This waiver is applicable to these individuals because they were unable to travel out of India.

In addition, affected foreign nationals will be able to receive exit permits free of charge so they can leave India once travel becomes possible. It has also been clarified by India that if the affected travellers were unable to apply for visa extensions or exit permits during this time, it will not be considered a contravention of immigration rules.

Another measure is about granting Temporary Landing Permits (TLP) without imposition of any fee to foreign nationals whose flights are diverted to India due to the ongoing situation.

IMPORTANT NOTICE⬇️

Extension of Regular Indian Visa/E-Visa and waiver of over stay penalty. to foreigners stuck in India due to the ongoing developments in West Asia pic.twitter.com/UZEAt78y0S

— India in Dubai (@cgidubai) March 13, 2026