Main Article - Feb, 2007
GUIDELINES FOR HOLDING INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES
Ch. Srinivasa Rao
Administrative Officer, National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad
Introduction
The guidelines for holding International Conferences and similar activities were first notified way back in '80s by the Govt. of India. These were revised during the year 2000. Appropriate information on procedures in obtaining necessary clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (Foreigners Division) facilitates timely permissions to hold the events.
Applicability
For seeking necessary clearances from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), these guidelines are required to be followed by all the Indian Missions abroad, administrative Ministries/Departments of GoI, State Govts./ Union Territory Administrations, all the Subordinate Offices of the Ministries/ Departments, Public Sector Undertakings and Autonomous Bodies such as Universities, Sports/Academic Federations/Associations, Apex voluntary organisations such as CAPART, etc.
Events which do not require clearance
The nodal/administrative Ministry concerned shall be competent to accord approval after considering any possible security ramifications to hold the conference/seminar/ workshop, etc. without prior clearance or reference to MHA, if they are organized/ sponsored:
i) by a Ministry/Department of Govt. of India;
ii) by State Govt.;
iii) by a PSU or an organization owned and controlled by the Central/State Govt.;
iv) by Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with or without the official sponsorship of any Ministry/Department of Central/State Govt.; or
v) by the United Nations and its specialized agencies.
Events which require clearance
The nodal Ministry/Department is required to send full details of the proposed International event to MHA for obtaining prior approval, if:
i) the subject matter of the conference being organized is political, semi-political, communal or religious nature or is related to human rights;
ii) it is proposed to be held in areas covered under Protected/Restricted/Inner line regime;
iii) it includes participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan or Sri Lanka.
Political clearance
If the subject matter of the conference has a bearing on external relations or if the conference includes participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, it is necessary to obtain prior clearance from the MEA from political angle,
Grant of visa
Grant of visas to foreign participants shall be governed by the following guidelines:
In cases, where the nodal/administrative Ministry itself is competent to accord permission for the conference, and in all cases where clearance from MHA is not needed, visas to foreign participants for attending the conferences will be issued liberally once the nodal Ministry approves the conference.
In respect of conferences for which clearance from the MHA was sought for holding the conference, the nodal/administrative Ministry has to send the full particulars of the foreign participants to the MHA for consideration for grant of visa, such as: (a) Name;
(b) Parentage; (c) Nationality; (d) Date and place of birth; and (e) Passport number, date and place of issue, validity addresses, etc.
The guiding principle would be that a foreign participant should not be generally considered to attend conferences of political, semi-political, communal or religious nature or those related to human rights or sensitive technical subjects which can be utilized as a platform for any particular line of propaganda or where the subject matter of the conference is of a purely national or local character.
Time schedule
While processing the cases of international conferences, etc., the following time schedule has to be followed:
i) Where no clearance from MEA is required, the nodal/administrative Ministry should give its clearance for holding a conference within two weeks
ii) for conferences where prior clearance from MHA and/or political clearance from MEA is required, full particulars including those of foreign participants have to be sent by the nodal Ministry to MHA and MEA within two weeks
iii) MEA is required to give its clearance or otherwise from political angle within two weeks to the MHA and the nodal Ministry. The MHA has to give clearance or otherwise from security angle within 4-6 weeks to the nodal Ministry
iv) the nodal Ministry has to communicate the final decision about holding the conferences, etc. to the organizers at least four weeks before the commencement of the conference.
Miscellaneous
1. The nodal Ministry concerned shall decide whether a conference would fall within a particular category, and whether it is required to be referred to MHA and/or MEA.
2. The onus of obtaining clearance from MHA and/or MEA wherever required would rest with the nodal Ministry and not with the organizers.
3. The austerity measures prescribe that the proposals for holding International Conferences/Seminars/Workshops, etc. under respective Ministries/Departments are required to be cleared by the administrative Ministry/Department, and subsequently by the Cabinet Secretary through the Secretary (Expenditure).
References
1. GOI MHA (Foreigners Division) O.M. No.25022/40/97/F.IV dt. 26-5-1986
2. GOI MOF (DOE) O.M.No.7(21)-E(Coord)/93 dt. 23-3-1994; CSIR Lr.No.17(2211/94-ISC.II dt. 5-4-1994
3. GOI MHA (Foreigners Division) O.M. No.25022/40/97/F.IV dt. 1-9-2000
.o.
Ch. Srinivasa Rao
Administrative Officer, National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad
Introduction
The guidelines for holding International Conferences and similar activities were first notified way back in '80s by the Govt. of India. These were revised during the year 2000. Appropriate information on procedures in obtaining necessary clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (Foreigners Division) facilitates timely permissions to hold the events.
Applicability
For seeking necessary clearances from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), these guidelines are required to be followed by all the Indian Missions abroad, administrative Ministries/Departments of GoI, State Govts./ Union Territory Administrations, all the Subordinate Offices of the Ministries/ Departments, Public Sector Undertakings and Autonomous Bodies such as Universities, Sports/Academic Federations/Associations, Apex voluntary organisations such as CAPART, etc.
Events which do not require clearance
The nodal/administrative Ministry concerned shall be competent to accord approval after considering any possible security ramifications to hold the conference/seminar/ workshop, etc. without prior clearance or reference to MHA, if they are organized/ sponsored:
i) by a Ministry/Department of Govt. of India;
ii) by State Govt.;
iii) by a PSU or an organization owned and controlled by the Central/State Govt.;
iv) by Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with or without the official sponsorship of any Ministry/Department of Central/State Govt.; or
v) by the United Nations and its specialized agencies.
Events which require clearance
The nodal Ministry/Department is required to send full details of the proposed International event to MHA for obtaining prior approval, if:
i) the subject matter of the conference being organized is political, semi-political, communal or religious nature or is related to human rights;
ii) it is proposed to be held in areas covered under Protected/Restricted/Inner line regime;
iii) it includes participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan or Sri Lanka.
Political clearance
If the subject matter of the conference has a bearing on external relations or if the conference includes participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, it is necessary to obtain prior clearance from the MEA from political angle,
Grant of visa
Grant of visas to foreign participants shall be governed by the following guidelines:
In cases, where the nodal/administrative Ministry itself is competent to accord permission for the conference, and in all cases where clearance from MHA is not needed, visas to foreign participants for attending the conferences will be issued liberally once the nodal Ministry approves the conference.
In respect of conferences for which clearance from the MHA was sought for holding the conference, the nodal/administrative Ministry has to send the full particulars of the foreign participants to the MHA for consideration for grant of visa, such as: (a) Name;
(b) Parentage; (c) Nationality; (d) Date and place of birth; and (e) Passport number, date and place of issue, validity addresses, etc.
The guiding principle would be that a foreign participant should not be generally considered to attend conferences of political, semi-political, communal or religious nature or those related to human rights or sensitive technical subjects which can be utilized as a platform for any particular line of propaganda or where the subject matter of the conference is of a purely national or local character.
Time schedule
While processing the cases of international conferences, etc., the following time schedule has to be followed:
i) Where no clearance from MEA is required, the nodal/administrative Ministry should give its clearance for holding a conference within two weeks
ii) for conferences where prior clearance from MHA and/or political clearance from MEA is required, full particulars including those of foreign participants have to be sent by the nodal Ministry to MHA and MEA within two weeks
iii) MEA is required to give its clearance or otherwise from political angle within two weeks to the MHA and the nodal Ministry. The MHA has to give clearance or otherwise from security angle within 4-6 weeks to the nodal Ministry
iv) the nodal Ministry has to communicate the final decision about holding the conferences, etc. to the organizers at least four weeks before the commencement of the conference.
Miscellaneous
1. The nodal Ministry concerned shall decide whether a conference would fall within a particular category, and whether it is required to be referred to MHA and/or MEA.
2. The onus of obtaining clearance from MHA and/or MEA wherever required would rest with the nodal Ministry and not with the organizers.
3. The austerity measures prescribe that the proposals for holding International Conferences/Seminars/Workshops, etc. under respective Ministries/Departments are required to be cleared by the administrative Ministry/Department, and subsequently by the Cabinet Secretary through the Secretary (Expenditure).
References
1. GOI MHA (Foreigners Division) O.M. No.25022/40/97/F.IV dt. 26-5-1986
2. GOI MOF (DOE) O.M.No.7(21)-E(Coord)/93 dt. 23-3-1994; CSIR Lr.No.17(2211/94-ISC.II dt. 5-4-1994
3. GOI MHA (Foreigners Division) O.M. No.25022/40/97/F.IV dt. 1-9-2000
.o.
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