Jaipur- As many as 841 Pakistani minority citizens have applied for Long Term Visas (LTVs) in Rajasthan, confirmed police officials on Tuesday. According to information received from the Police Headquarters, 841 Pakistani minority citizens currently residing in Rajasthan on various types of visas have applied for LTVs.

In recent weeks, 109 Pakistani nationals who had entered India on visas were repatriated from Rajasthan back to Pakistan. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued new guidelines concerning the departure requirements for Pakistani nationals residing in India. As per the revised MHA order, Pakistani citizens holding valid LTVs are no longer required to leave the country. This directive provides considerable relief to many, particularly those facing uncertainty regarding their legal status. Over the past three days alone, LTVs of 362 Pakistani citizens have been approved and registered.

The Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) confirmed that this change is part of the Ministry's broader effort to streamline residency regulations for Pakistani nationals in India. The new guidelines issued by the MHA bring significant relief to Pakistani citizens residing in India on LTVs. They are now exempted from the earlier requirement to leave the country. Those living in Jodhpur with expired LTVs are required to visit the Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) in Jodhpur to renew their visa validity. Additionally, individuals who have applied for LTVs or whose cases are still under consideration will not be deported. Pakistani nationals eligible for LTVs but who have not yet applied are urged to submit their applications promptly with valid documents at the respective FRO office.

Citizens whose passports have expired and who have not yet registered must submit their documents to their local FRO to receive further instructions from the state and Central Home Ministries. Muslim women married to Indian citizens and residing on LTVs are also no longer required to return to Pakistan. Moreover, those who have acquired Indian citizenship through the Ministry of Home Affairs or District Collector's Office must present their citizenship certificates at the FRO so their records can be updated. To streamline the process further, the Jodhpur FRO has launched a special campaign for registration and LTV application processing, under which 362 LTV applications have been approved in the past three days.