Hyderabad, Nov 23 (IANS): The Andhra Pradesh government has launched a project to collect database of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) from the state and to provide them some online services.

The NRIs can now apply online for authentication of educational certificates and for attestation of other certificates/documents through the web portal www.apnri.ap.gov.in. This will provide a big relief to those who had to stand in queues to get the work done at the NRI department in state secretariat.

Minister incharge of NRI Affairs D. Sridhar Babu told reporters Saturday that the applicant on the date of his preference may physically appear before the officer concerned for authentication of the documents.

The government has launched a pilot project for management of information/application system of NRI affairs on migration profiling and to provide online services. This project covers five districts of Adilabad, Kadapa, Karimnagar, Nizamabad and West Godavari with headquarters in Hyderabad

The NRIs having valid visa for going abroad on study or employment can register by filling a form online. The government will issue a certificate 30 days after the submission of the form.

The user can have access to services offered by the NRI department and can also register his grievances.

The department also proposed to link the website with the passport and Protector of Emigrants database, and the data so collected will be used for policy interventions and also for tracking the illegal migrants.

A help desk will be established at the Hyderabad airport and with the data base with passport portal linkage, the illegal migrant can be identified.

Sridhar Babu said the Overseas Indians affairs ministry had desired that the state government create database of overseas Indians hailing from the state on migration/immigration profiling in order to address their issues more effectively.