New Delhi, Dec 14: Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Pakistan's Interior Minister A Rehman Malik jointly operationalised the new visa agreement between India and Pakistan in here on Friday.
However, the visa-on-arrival will come into effect from January 15, 2013 and the group tourist visa from March 15, 2013.
A Circular to this effect was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday to all the Indian Missions, State Governments/ Union Territories, Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs), FROs and all concerned.
The Governments of India and Pakistan had signed on September 8 a new visa agreement to facilitate travel for the nationals of both countries desirous of travelling to the other country and to promote people to people contact.
As per the new pact, Pakistani tourists and business travellers will soon be able to visit India without many of the restrictions placed upon them in recent years.
The easing of the restrictions comes as Rehman Malik, Pakistan's interior minister, visits New Delhi to ratify a new visa agreement between the two countries.
Malik's three-day trip - his first official visit to India - is aimed at boosting trade and business relations between the South Asian rivals, and heralds the most significant changes to visa rules since 1974.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 14 Dec 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 14 Dec 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:00:00 IST