India to open visa service centre in KK

1

KOTA KINABALU: India will open a Visa Service Centre here by end of this month to cater for the people in this part of the region to apply for visas to visit India.

High Commissioner of India to Malaysia, T.S. Tirumurti, said as India has introduced the bio-metric system, it is compulsory for everyone to follow the system.

On April 1, the Indian government introduced the biometric visa for all Malaysians planning to visit the subcontinent. Under the new system, visa applicants will be identified using fingerprints, iris scan and photograph.

“What we are trying to do is to reduce the inconvenience for Malaysians, including people from Sabah and the office here will have the bio-metric facilities. The visa applications can be submitted directly here and it will be processed in Kuala Lumpur,” Tirumurti said.

He added the High Commission had opened similar centres in Penang, Johore, Ipoh and Malacca apart from the office in the High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.

Tirumurti disclosed this after paying a courtesy call on the Head of State Tun Datuk Seri Haji Juhar Mahiruddin at the Istana here yesterday morning.

He also said an Indian Naval Ship, INS Ranvijay, had come to Sabah yesterday.

“This is a goodwill visit and as Sabah is extremely an important naval base for Malaysia. The presence of the Indian ship here is a sign of solidarity with Sabah and Malaysia,” he added.

Tirumurti said besides the significant investment in the paper and pulp sector with Sabah Forest Industry, many Indian companies were also looking actively to invest in the oil and gas industries in Sabah.

“We have a new government in New Delhi now and the priority of the government is not only to attract countries like Malaysia but also to see how we can engage with Malaysia and Sabah,” he said.