New Delhi: The central government has waived the fees for business and employment visas for applicants from 48 least-developed countries (LDCs).

The step comes after an instruction from the external affairs ministry on 14 December 2015.

‘Ministry of External Affairs has advised all Indian Missions and Posts in the 48 least developed countries to issue business and employment visas (where applicable) to the applicants on gratis basis with immediate effect and subject to usual checks,’ an official statement said.

The ministry has further informed that the service fee for the outsourcing company, wherever applicable, and the Indian Community Welfare Fund fee will continue to be charged from the business and employment visa applicants, the statement added.

The countries included in the list are Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia and Nepal.

Also listed are Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Rawanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Yemen and Zambia.