The Leaders of South Asia, in the fourth SAARC Summit held on 29-31 December, 1988 at Islamabad recognized the vitality of people to people contact among the peoples of South Asian countries. The leaders in the 4th Summit decided to issue a special travel document to certain categories of dignitaries and exempt them from visas and other travelling documents.

This special travel document is known as SAARC Visa Exemption Sticker and is issued to 24 categories of entitled persons which include Dignitaries, Judges of higher courts, Parliamentarians, Senior Officials, Businessmen, Journalists, Sportsmen etc.

SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, being the apex body of SAARC enjoys the privilege make recommendations for the Businessmen category to the immigration authorities for the SAARC Visa Exemption Sticker.