stress77

I arrived in BOM just a few hours ago. It is no wonder noone wants to use the TVOA procedure. It took me about 2 hours, and I got questioned as hell. I also saw that I was the only Visa-on-arrival they've had for three days at the airport. At least 6 people was working on my case.. it's not very streamlined yet!

You need a passport photo, which the embassy previously said I didn't (!). That was easy to fix though, since I always have some with me (been going to some weird countries lately). They also want _an original return ticket_! Not a printout of an e-ticket or something like that. Remember those green old things? One of those is required. In the end they went over to TK to ask for a certified copy instead. It had 3 stamps on it when I saw it.

And even more, they were really annoyed when I tried borrowing a pen at the airport. So remember to bring one that has enough ink, mine went empty...

All in all, it is definately TK's fault that I almost was denied the flight. In IST when going to BOM the passport controller asked his super and got an answer in a second that we Finns could go without a visa. They have the information in the company obviously.

The people from Novia really did follow procedure. The guy at the CI was really friendly, and also a bit annoyed since he got a straight answer from the embassy himself over the phone that it was Ok. He told me that if I was denied entry, Novia themselves had to pay for my return ticket for letting me board to begin with. So that's why they're so careful...

dyung

Usually if you are polite and ask them to carefully read the data from their computer (which almost always is the same as the timatic data), then they will figure it out. I had a similar issue recently when I was trying to board a flight in NRT bound for PVG without a Chinese visa. At first the checkin agent did not want to issue my BP, but after insisting, she patiently read through all of the documentation and found that I did not need a visa for my transit through PVG.

I'm guessing most agents get to the words "visa required" and stop reading there.

Keyser

i agree with that completely....

but these are the countries that really matter....there could be arrival visa facilities in hundreds of places but if indians rarely travel there then what is the point????

SQ421

And that is why those countries won't extend Visa on Arrival / Visa Waiver to Indian Nationals. And I don't see the status changing anytime soon, do you?

IMO a lot of it boils down to the socio-economic stability of the country in question. Visa Waiver / Visa on Arrival exists between OECD countries (and many developing countries offer that to OECD nationals) because there is less of an incentive for those nationals to remain illegally in a Visa Waiver Country. And perhaps there's no easy way to implement this otherwise.

Here's a personal anecdote. Earlier in 2010, I visited the United States and the day I landed there, I had the equivalent of 20,000 INR in the bank yet was waved through with minimal questioning. Six months prior to my visit to the US, I was an Indian Citizen, and had I applied for a tourist visa to the US with that amount of funds accessible to me, the application would've been rejected off the bat. Regardless of my citizenship, I've never had the intention to remain in the United States beyond the purpose of my trip, yet having one passport over another somehow states that intention better. Amusing, but Them's The Rules.

palermo

You were lucky that the embassy answered. Try that with the Indian embassy folks in Dublin.

It is a shame that the Indian Government do not take measures to facilitate tourism. Getting a VISA for India is a pain in the back and they have those ridiculous restrictions like no re-entry within two months.

Government official ' s rudeness is ubiquitous. Every single clown working for a state company or the government think they are big fish (I think this may be part of their training)

There are many brilliant people in India - shame that they don t run the country.

Zol

Lol, true. Asked the immigration agent at BOM to borrow his pen which I could see in his shirt pocket as I needed to fill in the landing card. He point blank refused and said "I cannot spare a pen". Didn't go down too well

abcx

Try being Indian and getting a Schengen visa or something similar. It's not any easier. So my apologies, but I think you'll find it hard to elicit sympathy amongst Indians - even the smart ones. Let me assure you your hassles pale in comparison to hassles most Indians face when traveling and/or getting visas.

BTW, one could say the same for the UK government. It's a shame they don't take measures to encourage tourism - what with a $1000 fee for the mere chance of getting a 10yr visa.

Kiwi Flyer

For odd countries/rules, I carry a printout of the timatic instructions. It has helped me win an argument more than once.

impaler

I wonder how they picked the 5 countries...glancing at the website of the local Indian consulate it looks like the advance visa process is quite a circus as well

Keyser

i said it before & i'll say it again, i agree with the reasoning....

but that doesn't mean that i would use the word extensive for the number of countries included in the list....over 90% of these places are where most indians will never go....the number may be large but the practicality isn't....

Swanhunter

As this thread is focussed mostly on Indian visa issues, the India forum would seem the most approriate place for the discussion to continue.

cheers

Swanhunter
Moderator, Trip Reports

abcx

Same here - I think this is good practice. I do this especially when I DON'T need a visa (which is rare).

quarryking

Turkey as well offers a Visa on Arrival for Indian passport holders..?? Didn't know that..!! How many days is the visa valid for..??

Keyser

stress77

If only they made it work a bit better. I arrived a few days ago and had hell with the TVOA. It took hours and hours. I arrived in BOM and saw on the paperwork that noone had entered using the TVOA for a few days, it's so few people that can come. They are not really prepared for handling the TVOA at the airport.