With the launch of Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) facility, enabled with Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), tourists from 43 countries can apply for Indian visa in four simple steps. The initiative is aimed at boosting foreign tourist arrivals and offer hassle-free travel to foreign nationals.
This facility is available to foreigners whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sightseeing, short duration medical treatment, casual business visit, casual visit to meet friends or relatives etc. and not valid for any other purpose/activities. This will allow entry into India within 30 days from the date of approval of ETA and will be valid for a 30 day stay in India from the date of arrival.
The TVoA, enabled with ETA, cannot be availed more than twice in a calendar year. The facility will be available at nine International airports in the country, namely Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Goa.
The facility was launched by Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister, in the presence of Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (I/C), Tourism & Culture and Minister of State for Civil Aviation; Anil Goswami, Union Home Secretary; Lalit K Panwar, Union Tourism Secretary; Parvez Dewan, Former Union Tourism Secretary; Subhash Goyal, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO); senior officials from Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Home Affairs and other related ministries, and the travel trade fraternity of India.
Launching the scheme, Singh said that India has been the centre of attraction for people around the world since times immemorial. He said that travellers, since ancient times, have been drawn to India to experience its philosophy and spiritualism. The Home Minister said that India also has a unique advantage in tourism sector owing to its geographical location and that no other country offers such abundance of diversity in weather conditions. On the occasion, Singh assured the tourism industry representatives that he will ensure a safe and secure environment for foreign tourists.
Sharma said the launch of the TVoA enabled with ETA scheme was a dream come true for India’s tourism Industry, and is bound to positively impact the economy of the country. He said that the government’s objective is to boost tourism to the country and the implementation of the TVoA enabled with ETA scheme will send out a clear message that India is serious in making travel to the country easy. He added that that the Tourism Ministry, carrying forward the Prime Minister’s mission, has embarked on the ‘Swachh Bharat, Swachh Samarak’ (Clean India, Clean Monuments) campaign.
Singh thanked all concerned, including officials from Ministry of Home Affairs, Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation, National Informatics Center, Airports Authority of India and private Airport Operators for their wholehearted cooperation in the launching of the TVoA enabled with ETA scheme.
The scheme would enable the prospective visitor to apply for an Indian visa from his/her home country online without visiting the Indian Mission and also pay the visa fee online. Once approved, the applicant will receive an email authorising him/her to travel to India and he/she can travel with a print out of this authorisation. On arrival, the visitor has to present the authorisation to the immigration authorities who would then stamp the visitor’s entry into the country
The facility will encourage people to travel with short-term planning, take via routes while travelling to other countries and bring family members while on business visits.
The TVoA enabled with ETA Scheme will facilitate nationals of 43 countries to travel to India for tourism for a short stay of 30 days. The countries are Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Djibouti, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kingdom of Tongo, Laos, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Mexico, Myanmar, New Zealand, Niue, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Papua & New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea (i.e. South Korea), Republic of Marshall Islands, Republic of Nauru, Republic of Palau, Russia, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine, USA, Vietnam and Vanuatu.
