BuildingMyBento

I'll look forward to the day that I can do a three-day, visa-free stop in Moscow en route to a VoA arrival in Delhi.

stut

I would very much appreciate something like this for UK citizens (although we may be considered high-risk - who knows?)

Also, the word "hoodwink" deserves to be used more often.

GUWonder

Slim chance. I wouldn't count on it.

tomcat007

Not a fan. India should not extend visa on arrival facility to countries that even require a transit visa for airside transit. For a few tourist dollars this is a sellout. Reprocity should be the norm.

AA_EXP09

I think so as well (I.e. 14 day visa free for HK passport holders, like Indians are allowed in HK.)

tomcat007

Exactly. Reciprocity is the basis for diplomacy.

I was surprised Finland was part of the initial countries allowed visa on arrival but Hong Kong wasn't. I think it might have to do with the fear of China.

GUWonder

Finland, Luxembourg and others initially. Reciprocity was never part of it for India.

Sjoerd

I disagree. Very few (that is very, very few) foreigners (at least those from developed countries) want to live and work in a poor country with few opportunities (for foreigners) like India. Many, very many Indians would love to live and work in the developed countries of this world. So it is entirely logical that developed countries ask for visas, and it would be entirely logical as well for India to attract tourist dollars by waiving visa requirements for people from developed countries.

Look at what Thailand does (very few people need a visa for Thailand) and how many tourists they get. I have just gone through the nightmare of getting an Indian tourist visa and the bureaucracy is just ridiculous. India could get many more billions of tourist dollars if they make it easier to visit.

Reciprocity just for national pride is stupid.

tomcat007

You are entitled to your opinions.

When you have to apply for a transit visa to pay for the honor of transiting through the airport, you do not want your government to roll out the red carpet for citizens of those countries. You want them to go through the ignominy and expense of applying for a visa for any purpose for which they wish to enter your country.
Tourism is one of Thailand’s biggest revenue generators. India does not have to follow this path. There are 1.2 billion people in India and it doesn’t need anymore. They can develop domestic tourism.

Sjoerd

You are ofcourse also entitled to your opinion.

I am glad that the Times of India and the Government of India seem to agree (mostly) with me, not with you.

Quote from Times of India:

This newspaper has consistently argued that providing a visa on arrival should be the norm rather than the exception. For reasons of geography, history and culture, India is well-placed to become one of the world's most favoured tourist destinations. Its potential has, however, been tapped only very slightly. Given the tourism sector's positive spin-offs on employment and earnings, we can ill-afford to let such a situation continue. Anything that can attract tourists to India is worth pursuing. Visa on arrival is one such thing, but far from being the only one. The government must also work to improve the tourism infrastructure and provide a greater sense of security to tourists, particularly women, among other things.

unquote

tomcat007

In my view all 3 are wrong as it continues and reinforces the discriminatory regime where people having certain passports a free to travel the world without the ignominy of having to apply for a visa and others have to wait in line and ask for permission before they can travel.
If you had a different color of passport maybe you would think differently. I think right now the current system benefits you and would like to see it continue.

Sjoerd

Welcome to the real world.

People with Platinum cards can enter a lounge.
People with the right connections can get well-paid jobs.
People with money can stay in 5 star hotels.
People born in rich countries can enter most countries without a visa.

tomcat007

And I have a right to protest India going along with this.
Just because ‘this is the way things works’ does not make it right.
I guess the colonial mentality still exists among some people

GUWonder

I was told that we wouldn't be able to use it even by mid-June and that was unrealistically optimistic. Fourth quarter of the year is the anticipated tourism period, so if we get lucky it may be a couple of months before that.

flyerhog

Given the bureaucratic nature of the Indian government, I don't see this getting implemented at all within this year.