Visas to travel to India will now take one week to process, the High Commission of India in Maldives has announced.

Previously the process would take two to three days, however a notice from the high commission has now advised people to apply for their visas well in advance to avoid inconvenience.

The high commission has also announced that visa free travel facilities to India available to Maldivian citizens are only valid for tourism purposes.

Citizens wishing to travel to India for a purpose other than tourism are advised to obtain the appropriate visas before travelling to the country.

According to local media, the high commission said that these changes are solely due to technical reasons.