March 3: A task force formed to study the problems related to visit visas and to recommend solutions to the problems has submitted its report to Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand.

Home Ministry spokesperson Fanindra Mani Pokharel, who is also the head of the task force, presented the report to the minister at a program organized at the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday.

The task force formed under the coordination of spokesperson Pokharel on January 25 has recommended the government to identify on what basis is a person eligible for the visit and what is the reason for the visit.

Pokharel said that the report will be implemented after formulating a work procedure in this regard. He said that a committee comprising representatives of the Department of Immigration, Department of Foreign Employment and concerned agencies would be formed to formulate the work procedure.

The report also suggests to implement the existing criteria and procedures related to visit visa only after amending them. Another recommendation made by the report is to simplify the complex process of approving labour permit and to make the process transparent and quick.

 Similarly, the report also suggests to punish the operators of any licensed foreign employment company as per Article 44 of the Foreign Employment Act 2064 if they send people abroad on visit visa or other means without obtaining labor permit.

Buddhisagar Lamichhane, joint secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation; Shesh Narayan Poudel, joint secretary at the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security; Harish Chandra Poudel, joint secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Bhim Prasad Dhakal, senior superintendent of police; Prakash Chandra Adhikari, under secretary of the Department of Immigration; and Deenbandhu Subedi, under secretary at the Foreign Employment Promotion Board were the members of the task force.