Acceding to a long-pending demand of the travel industry, and aiming to make travel to India hassle-free, the Government on Thursday launched electronic visa facilities for tourists from 43 countries.
Explaining the move, Anil Goswami, Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, said: “The tourist visa-on-arrival (TVoA) by electronic travel authorisation (ETA) will be introduced in a phased manner at nine airports: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Goa. As many as 76 counters have been created for this at these airports.” At present, visitors from 43 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Finland, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Russia and the US, can avail themselves of this facility. More countries will be added in a phased manner.
In his July Budget speech, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced that the facility would be introduced in a phased manner at nine airports with the necessary infrastructure put in place within six months.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, on his visit to the US in September, had said that a visa-on-arrival scheme for American visitors was in the pipeline. During his recent visit to Australia, Modi had promised the facility for Australian tourists as well.
A foreign tourist will now have to apply online at www.indianvisaonline.gov.in, upload a photo and passport copy and pay the fee online. Once approved, the applicant will receive an email within 72 hours authorising him/her to travel to India and he/she can travel with a print-out of this authorisation. On arrival, the visitor will have to present the authorisation to immigration authorities, who will then stamp the entry permission.
The 30-day permit will cover visits for the purpose of sightseeing, visiting friends and family, recreation, short-duration medical treatment, among others, and also include casual business visits. The facility can be used only twice in a calendar year, Goswami added.