No automatic visa for Modi as PM, US says - The Times of India
WASHINGTON: Continuing to maintain silence on granting a visa to BJP leader Narendra Modi, US has said the heads of state and government are eligible for A1 visas and no individual automatically qualifies for an American visa.
"Heads of state and heads of government are eligible for A1 visa classification under the INA (Immigration and Nationality Act). No individual automatically qualifies for a US visa," state department spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters.
"US law exempts foreign government officials, including heads of state and heads of government from certain potential inadmissibility grounds," Psaki said when asked about the possibility of issuing visa to Modi, whose party-led NDA is projected by exit polls to form the next government in India.
Refusing to go into details, Psaki refrained from responding to direct questions on Modi visa issue, except for saying that the US looks forward to working with new Indian government.
"We don't talk about visa applications. We are looking forward to working with the new Indian government when they are elected. But I am not going to speculate on that given, obviously, the results haven't been announced yet," she said.
The results of polls in India are scheduled to be announced on May 16. In 2005, the US government had revoked a visa that Modi had for travelling to the US on the ground of alleged human rights violations after the Gujarat riots.
WASHINGTON: Continuing to maintain silence on granting a visa to BJP leader Narendra Modi, US has said the heads of state and government are eligible for A1 visas and no individual automatically qualifies for an American visa.
"Heads of state and heads of government are eligible for A1 visa classification under the INA (Immigration and Nationality Act). No individual automatically qualifies for a US visa," state department spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters.
"US law exempts foreign government officials, including heads of state and heads of government from certain potential inadmissibility grounds," Psaki said when asked about the possibility of issuing visa to Modi, whose party-led NDA is projected by exit polls to form the next government in India.
Refusing to go into details, Psaki refrained from responding to direct questions on Modi visa issue, except for saying that the US looks forward to working with new Indian government.
"We don't talk about visa applications. We are looking forward to working with the new Indian government when they are elected. But I am not going to speculate on that given, obviously, the results haven't been announced yet," she said.
The results of polls in India are scheduled to be announced on May 16. In 2005, the US government had revoked a visa that Modi had for travelling to the US on the ground of alleged human rights violations after the Gujarat riots.
