India visa-on-arrival for tourists from 5 countries [merged]
Jan 1, 2010, 7:01 pm
#1
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India visa-on-arrival for tourists from 5 countries [merged]
Trial basis, 30-day visa on arrival for tourists from Japan, Singapore, Finland, New Zealand and Luxembourg.
The Hindu, 2 Jan 2010: http://www.thehindu.com/2010/01/02/s...0257550400.htm
India on Friday ushered in a new feature in providing visas on arrival to tourists from five countries — Japan, Singapore, Finland, New Zealand and Luxembourg.
The facility, launched on an experimental basis for a year, is aimed at facilitating bona fide foreign tourists who plan their visits at short notice, said the Ministry of External Affairs.
The Ministry said tourists from these countries could also procure their visas from the diplomatic missions/posts in the normal course.
The “Tourist visa-on-arrival”, with a maximum validity of 30 days with single-entry facility to begin with, will be granted by the Immigration Officers at the airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
The grant of a tourist visa-on-arrival would be regulated as per the guidelines prescribed in the Visa Manual, the Ministry said.
The official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said: “The [rule of] gap of two months between two visas would apply to all tourist visa holders.”
However, the restriction of two-month gap will not apply to PIO (Persons of Indian origin) or OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card-holders and foreigners holding business, employment, student and other categories of visa.
The Hindu, 2 Jan 2010: http://www.thehindu.com/2010/01/02/s...0257550400.htm
India on Friday ushered in a new feature in providing visas on arrival to tourists from five countries — Japan, Singapore, Finland, New Zealand and Luxembourg.
The facility, launched on an experimental basis for a year, is aimed at facilitating bona fide foreign tourists who plan their visits at short notice, said the Ministry of External Affairs.
The Ministry said tourists from these countries could also procure their visas from the diplomatic missions/posts in the normal course.
The “Tourist visa-on-arrival”, with a maximum validity of 30 days with single-entry facility to begin with, will be granted by the Immigration Officers at the airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
The grant of a tourist visa-on-arrival would be regulated as per the guidelines prescribed in the Visa Manual, the Ministry said.
The official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said: “The [rule of] gap of two months between two visas would apply to all tourist visa holders.”
However, the restriction of two-month gap will not apply to PIO (Persons of Indian origin) or OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card-holders and foreigners holding business, employment, student and other categories of visa.
Last edited by aniruddh77; Jan 1, 2010 at 7:03 pm Reason: .
Jan 2, 2010, 9:09 am
#2
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Japan, Singapore, Finland, New Zealand and Luxembourg.
Random pick-up, special friendship with India, relatively small number of visitors (hmm?) or something else?
Jan 2, 2010, 10:22 am
#3
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Manageable numbers, unlikely to irk any significant political cluster, and less likely to spark an as intense and now-too-typical media frenzy as if starting off with countries like the US, UK and Canada.
Jan 2, 2010, 10:07 pm
#4
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None of these countries, in my experience, have been associated with painfully bureaucratic visa rules and arrogant embassy staff, so far .. the worst has been Argentina (where a visa clerk demanded a notarized affidavit on stamp paper as to why I was flying to EZE) .. Germany not far behind. The US wants quite a lot of paperwork but if you have it in order they're much better than most countries.
Jan 3, 2010, 5:25 am
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If India introduces Visa on Arrival for most countries, i got a feeling that they would still charge the full fee on Arrival.
In that case, it would still be better for travellers to have a visa issued before travelling. Can you imagine the queues to purchase one if they introduced it for the likes of UK, US, Canada and the rest?
In that case, it would still be better for travellers to have a visa issued before travelling. Can you imagine the queues to purchase one if they introduced it for the likes of UK, US, Canada and the rest?
Jan 3, 2010, 5:40 am
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Try the visa on arrival queue at BKK (for Indians, Chinese and people from a few other countries - Russians, Saudis etc I think)
Massive. Fly in early morning and get into your taxi about two to three hours later .. because you first pay your visa fee, and then stand in line for immigration. The Thai officials at that visa on arrival counter are typically rude and abrupt (and/or almost likely hungover in the case of the guy I saw last time).
Far faster to get a multiple entry visa on arrival if you transit BKK often enough.
Massive. Fly in early morning and get into your taxi about two to three hours later .. because you first pay your visa fee, and then stand in line for immigration. The Thai officials at that visa on arrival counter are typically rude and abrupt (and/or almost likely hungover in the case of the guy I saw last time).
Far faster to get a multiple entry visa on arrival if you transit BKK often enough.
If India introduces Visa on Arrival for most countries, i got a feeling that they would still charge the full fee on Arrival.
In that case, it would still be better for travellers to have a visa issued before travelling. Can you imagine the queues to purchase one if they introduced it for the likes of UK, US, Canada and the rest?
In that case, it would still be better for travellers to have a visa issued before travelling. Can you imagine the queues to purchase one if they introduced it for the likes of UK, US, Canada and the rest?
Jan 3, 2010, 2:06 pm
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Yeah need more details. The multiple entry ones last 10 yrs so I would think these are less and also cheaper.
Originally Posted by d3vski
If India introduces Visa on Arrival for most countries, i got a feeling that they would still charge the full fee on Arrival.
In that case, it would still be better for travellers to have a visa issued before travelling. Can you imagine the queues to purchase one if they introduced it for the likes of UK, US, Canada and the rest?
In that case, it would still be better for travellers to have a visa issued before travelling. Can you imagine the queues to purchase one if they introduced it for the likes of UK, US, Canada and the rest?
Jan 4, 2010, 12:27 pm
#8
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It is far better to restrict visa-on-arrival only to small countries, and not US or UK. Having dealt with the process of getting a US visa, I am not in favour of it being any easier for Americans to get an Indian visa. With continued economic growth in India, there's no lack of demand for visas anyway.
Jan 4, 2010, 1:35 pm
#9
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The only reason i can see that India has a visa system for everyone apart from Nepal and Bhutan is because of the revenue it produces.
I think this visa on arrival system will fail after a year due to either:
1) Chaos at airports due to queues in purchasing one.
or
2) If the fee does not get passed onto the government coffers because its siphoned off by the Indian Immigration/Customs officers.
I think this visa on arrival system will fail after a year due to either:
1) Chaos at airports due to queues in purchasing one.
or
2) If the fee does not get passed onto the government coffers because its siphoned off by the Indian Immigration/Customs officers.
Jan 4, 2010, 11:09 pm
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Still a huge step in the right direction though. ^
Jan 5, 2010, 4:32 am
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Still a huge step in the right direction though
Hmm, next huge step will be to introduce Monaco, Lichtenstein, San Marino and Andorra to the scheme (Luxembourg is already there).
Jan 9, 2010, 2:49 pm
#12
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Singapore might act as a test for some countries in the region while Japan has always enjoyed a special relationship with India visa vice. Visas for Japanese to India are from $16 while Australians pay from $75.
Dec 30, 2010, 10:03 am
#13
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India extends visa on arrival eligible countries.
Dec 30, 2010, 2:44 pm
#14
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cool....now only if these countries started to do the same for indian nationals....
Dec 30, 2010, 2:55 pm
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