Visa on Arrival in India for 5 Countries

[cat]

Well, you could spend a few days, unpleasantly, reading the two threads on the one India travel forum. Much confusion, the way it was implemented, although I guess it's settled down by now. Yes, Travisa has a bad reputation. Fortunately for me, the outsourced service here in SA is ok, I hear.

It really depends on how much the powers that make these decisions in India want to encourage or discourage tourism. Different countries make different decisions on this and I respect that.

There was much heated argument and discussion on that forum over what the reason - or reasons - were. It comes down to this: Dawood Headley used a multiple entry visa when planning the Mumbai jihad attack and the authorities were pressured to do something about that system. Secondly, there had been increasing awareness and concern about how many foreigners were abusing the system so as to effectively reside in India (Goa), more-or-less permanently. (Note: Dawood Headley had used a business visa, not a tourist visa.)

What you have to do is provide proof that the multiple entries are for bona fide purposes (Nepal and back into India, family arrangements, and so on.) Unfortunately, Travisa seems to make that more difficult than it should be. (Than it is for people in other countries, with different visa service providers.)

 

[anubhavt]

India starts process to extend visa on arrival to 40 nations.

New Delhi: India has initiated the process for making it a more tourist friendly destination, which includes extending on arrival visa for 40 more countries, simplifying online visa and attracting senior citizen foreign visitors.

The consensus was brought on these issues during a high level meeting convened here today by the Planning Commission.

The countries for which visa on arrival facility would be extended include the US, the UK, Canada, Brazil, Australia, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Germany, France, Italy, Swedan, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Poland, Norway and Ireland.

Under the visa on arrival system, India has agreement with different countries, including Japan, Finland, Singapore, Indonesia, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Laos and Myanmar.


India starts process to extend visa on arrival to 40 nations | NDTV.com

 

[anubhavt]

India to extend visa-on-arrival facility to tourists from 180 nations

New Delhi: India will extend visa-on arrival to tourists of all nations barring eight, as it looks to boost tourism, Planning Minister Rajeev Shukla said on Wednesday.

"We have decided to extend the visa-on-arrival facility to tourists from 180 nations. It will take 5-6 months for the respective departments to put the required infrastructure in place. We hope to implement this from the next tourist session beginning October," he said.

India currently offers visa-on-arrival to tourists from 11 countries like Finland, the Philippines, Singapore and Japan.

This facility is now being extended to 180 countries. The only exception to this rule will be nationals from Pakistan, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Somalia, the minister said, without giving reasons.

Following a high-level meeting with representatives from various ministries, he said the electronic visa would be valid for 30 days from the date of the tourist's arrival in India.

The move, aimed at boosting country's tourism sector, would not need Cabinet's nod, Mr Shukla said, adding that Home Ministry would notify the same at an appropriate time.

"The facility will provide a major boost to the country's tourism sector. This is historic," Mr Shukla said.

A separate website would be set up for extending the facility to foreigners intending to visit India as tourists.

To get visa, they would need to apply in the designated website along the required fees. They would be granted an electronic version of the visa within three days.

"Visa-on-arrival can be availed in all 26 major domestic airports from where international flights ply," the minister said.

Wednesday's meeting, at the behest of Planning Commission, was called to iron out the objections raised by the Home Ministry for extending the facility to nationals of 40 more countries including the US, the UK and Germany.

Home Ministry nod was a prerequisite for extending the facility.

The visa-on-arrival facility would save time and expenses of the foreign nationals as they would no longer need to visit Indian missions to get visas for touring India, Mr Shukla said.

Asked whether these countries would reciprocate the same to Indian nationals, he said, "India needs these tourists. They may not."

Apart from creating the necessary infrastructure for the facility to be extended, this would also create over 1,000 jobs, he said.


India to extend visa-on-arrival facility to tourists from 180 nations | NDTV.com

 

[shashank_gangil]

Its a good step. India need more foreign tourist and we need to ease our visa regime a bit. I live in Hong Kong, a lot of my friends want to travel to India but they say that Visa policy is just too strict and cumbersome hence many dont even try. And I dont think its a security issue. Someone who want to plant a bomb in India doesnt need a visa to do so.