Lok Sabha Question No. 3631 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-13
Subject: Transparent visa Process for Indians Abroad
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Rajkumar Roat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 3631 ANSWERED ON- 13/03/2026

## TRANSPARENT VISA PROCESS FOR INDIAN ABROAD

## 3631.   SHRI RAJKUMAR ROAT

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:-

(a) the details of fee prescribed for employment/work visas for Indian nationals, along with the relevant rules/provisions and the number of Indian workers presently employed abroad, country-wise;

(b) whether the agents/recruiting agencies charge amounts several times higher than the prescribed visa fee from Indian citizens going abroad for employment, if so, the number of such cases reported during the last five years and the action taken thereon; and

(c) whether the Government is taking any initiative, in coordination with the concerned countries, to make the employment visa process fully transparent, fee-regulated and based on online tracking, if so, the time by which it is to be implemented and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## (SHRI PABITRA MARGHERITA)

(a to c)  Formulation of rules/provisions for employment visa and visa fees in respect of Indian nationals are sovereign matters of the respective foreign   countries.     However,   visa   related   matters,   particularly   visa policies intended to improve ease of travel and to simplify visa processes for Indian citizens are taken up by the Government of  India through bilateral   mechanisms,   including   Consular   Dialogues   with   foreign Governments and also during high-level visits.

The details of employment/work visa fees are provided to visa applicants at the time of application by the respective authorities of the foreign countries and are also available in public domain on the websites of the respective foreign Embassy/Consulate in India.

Ministry of External Affairs maintains data in respect of Indian workers, holding   Emigration   Check   Required   (ECR)   passports,   proceeding   for employment to any of the notified ECR countries, through e-Migrate portal. Year-wise data on the number of Emigration Clearances (ECs) granted during the last five years is given at Annexure-A

ANNEXURE-A

| Emigration Clearance (EC) issued during 2021-2025   |   Emigration Clearance (EC) issued during 2021-2025 |   Emigration Clearance (EC) issued during 2021-2025 |   Emigration Clearance (EC) issued during 2021-2025 |   Emigration Clearance (EC) issued during 2021-2025 |   Emigration Clearance (EC) issued during 2021-2025 |
|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
| Country                                             |                                                2021 |                                                2022 |                                                2023 |                                                2024 |                                                2025 |
| BAHRAIN                                             |                                                6382 |                                               10232 |                                                7376 |                                                8607 |                                                6827 |
| INDONESIA                                           |                                                   0 |                                                   3 |                                                   0 |                                                   3 |                                                   9 |
| IRAQ                                                |                                                 935 |                                                1430 |                                                1599 |                                                2761 |                                                1264 |
| JORDAN                                              |                                                2386 |                                                2487 |                                                1187 |                                                3137 |                                                2192 |
| KUWAIT                                              |                                               10158 |                                               71432 |                                               48212 |                                               39862 |                                               47087 |
| LEBANON                                             |                                                  54 |                                                 282 |                                                 200 |                                                 130 |                                                  36 |
| MALAYSIA                                            |                                                  36 |                                               12836 |                                               15319 |                                                5606 |                                                3059 |
| OMAN                                                |                                               19453 |                                               31994 |                                               21336 |                                               24258 |                                               29158 |
| QATAR                                               |                                               49579 |                                               30871 |                                               30683 |                                               23785 |                                               21907 |
| SAUDI ARABIA                                        |                                               32845 |                                              178623 |                                              200713 |                                              167598 |                                              136812 |
| SOUTH SUDAN                                         |                                                   1 |                                                   1 |                                                   0 |                                                   0 |                                                  73 |
| SUDAN                                               |                                                   0 |                                                   0 |                                                   0 |                                                   2 |                                                   0 |
| THAILAND                                            |                                                   1 |                                                   3 |                                                   4 |                                                  10 |                                                   0 |
| UNITED ARAB EMIRATES                                |                                               10844 |                                               33233 |                                               71687 |                                              111308 |                                              200686 |
| Grand Total                                         |                                              132674 |                                              373427 |                                              398316 |                                              387067 |                                              449110 |

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