Beijing: With bilateral relations improving and trade ties booming, India and China have eased Visa restrictions, implementing one of the 10 bilateral agreements reached during Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's historic visit to Beijing in June.

"Indian and Chinese businessmen and tourists are the biggest gainers in the just-eased Visa regime," an official source said.

For the first time, both countries have clear-cut rules in granting business, tourist, student, employment, entry and other types of Visas to the nationals of both countries and to other nationals.

The major highlight of the simplified Visa regime is that Indian and Chinese businessmen can now apply for a six-month multiple entry business Visa. In the past, businessmen used to get only one-month single- entry Visa.

"This will go a long way in meeting the requirements of the business communities of the two countries at a time when our bilateral trade is booming," the deputy chief of Mission of the Indian Embassy, Debnath Shaw said.

However, applicants issued six-month multiple entry business Visa shall not stay for more than 90 days on each visit.

The two months single-entry business Visa is granted on producing a letter of request from a "duly authorised Chinese organisation" like ministries, the governments of all provinces and units recognised by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On the tourism Visa front, the most important change is that a tourist Visa granted by India would be valid for entry into the country by the Visa-holder from the day of issue of the Visa unlike the 15-day waiting period in the past.

However, China used to grant tourist Visas to Indian nationals which were valid from the day it was issued.

"So, now we have gone on par with the Chinese system," Shaw said.

With the introduction of direct flights to India by China Eastern and the planned flights to China by Air India within this year, tourism sector between the two neighbouring countries is set to boom, industry sources said.

The 15-day waiting period was one of the main grouse of Chinese travel trade against India which hindered the normal tourism links between the two ancient civilisations with rich tourism products.

Under the liberalised visa regime, two types of tourist Visas are granted. The first is a three-months single-entry Visa which is granted on presentation of a confirmed return air-ticket and proof of sufficient finances to cover all expenditure in India.

PTI