Sunday, July 3 2005 14:25 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Amidst growing rush for its visa due to thaw in Indo-Pak ties, Pakistan has announced new guidelines for Indians wanting to visit the country, saying that a visa request must be sent at least eight weeks in advance to relevant authorities.

According to the new criteria announced by Pakistan's Interior Ministry, a visa request on prescribed form of the Interior Division must be delivered to the relevant authorities at least eight weeks in advance, which must be accompanied by photocopies of a valid passport, an official press release here said.

The request forms for Pakistani visa can be obtained from Section Officer (India) of the Interior Division, Pakistan High Commission, New Delhi, or it may be downloaded from website of the Ministry of Interior -- www.interior.gov.pk.

For cultural/sports functions, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs must be contacted, the release said, adding that for such delegates from India visa requests will be processed only after they are received through the said ministry.

The authorities issued new criteria for the Indian nationals seeking Pakistani visa, keeping in view the troubles faced by individuals or groups intent on visiting Pakistan, the release said.

The new guidelines also came in view of a large number of requests from Indians for obtaining Pakistani visa due to thaw in bilateral ties, the release said.

The guidelines have been set out as the authorities failed to process the requests because the applicants often did not follow the laid-down procedure, the release said.

Visa processing was in the past delayed due to not following the set procedure which caused "embarrassment" on both ends. The successful processing will take place only through following the laid-down procedure, the release said.

A large number of delegations from all walks of life in India have been visiting Pakistan as the people-to-people contact progranmme initiated by the two countries picked up momentum.