Leading Indian newspaper, The Hindu, reported on the 27 November that the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has asked all government offices to remove requirements for HIV testing from all visa application forms. The Ministry has confirmed that India no longer has entry restrictions for people with HIV who wish to visit for holiday or residency purposes.

In removing these entry restrictions, India is following in the footsteps of the US, and more recently China, as the number of countries removing entry restrictions for people living with HIV grows.

The report states ‘At the behest of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will ensure that HIV-related questions will no longer be asked on any visa application forms."

The lifting of the ban has been applauded by the Forum of Parliamentarians on HIV and AIDS (FPA), a registered organisation founded in 2002 with a membership comprising parliamentarians from all major Indian political parties.

The focus of the FPA is to eradicate HIV. This commitment is premised on the fact that India has the third largest number of people living with HIV, and that failure to tackle the growth of "HIV and AIDS" would be catastrophic.

To quote The Hindu, UNAIDS Coordinator Charles Gilks said: "Such regulations were issued by many countries in the 1980's, when little was known about HIV, and there was more confusion and fear about the virus." He added "The MEA move upholds India's commitment to human rights and the dignity of all people, including those who are living with HIV."

Globally there is no evidence that such restrictions prevent HIV transmission, or protect public health.

If you are considering international travel please go to the www.smarttraveller.gov.au - the Australian Government's travel advisory and consular information service that includes information and regular updates on alerts and other important information.

Find out more

Web: Restrictions on people living with HIV lifted (The Hindu)

Web: For a list of countries with HIV specific travel and residence restrictions please go to the website of The Global Database - www.hivrestrictions.org

Web: For further information on international and travel restrictions related to HIV please go to the website of the European AIDS Treatment Group

More info

Contact: ACON’s HIV Men's Health Promotion Team or ACON's Women & Families Project

Tel: (02) 9699 8756

Email: hivliving@acon.org.au or family@acon.org.au