17/04/2024

Saint Lucia and India Sign New Visa-Waiver Agreement

By OPM

 The Government of Saint Lucia, through the Ministry of External Affairs, has paved the way for holders of Diplomatic and Official passports to benefit from visa-free travel to India.

This historic visa-waiver agreement between Saint Lucia and the Republic of India was signed on April 16, 2024, by Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre and the Non-resident High Commissioner of India to Saint Lucia, H.E. Dr Shankar Balachandran.

Applications for E-visas by holders of ordinary passports for Saint Lucians travelling to India are typically processed and granted within 72 hours.

However, before the agreement was signed, the application process to obtain a gratis diplomatic/official visa for Saint Lucian holders of Diplomatic and Official passports travelling to India took up to thirty (30) days as they were required to utilize courier services to transport their passports to India's Embassy in Paramaribo for processing. 

The new visa-waiver agreement between Saint Lucia and the Republic of India will significantly reduce expenses and shorter wait times for holders of Diplomatic and Official passports travelling to India on official business. Furthermore, the new visa-waiver agreement will also benefit public servants who obtain ITEC scholarships to study in India.

The signing was witnessed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, Guillaume Simon and officials from the Ministry of External Affairs. The signing signals a strengthening of diplomatic relations between the Government of Saint Lucia and the Republic of India. This agreement will come into effect once ratified by both countries.