Tourist Visa on Arrival & Electronic Travel Authorisation now extended to all but 8 countries
Updated: Feb 08, 2014 01:48:20pm
New Delhi, Feb 8 (KNN) Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVOA) and Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will now be extended to but eight countries in order to promote inbound tourism, the Government has said.
“The Tourist Visa on Arrival(TVOA) and Electronic Travel Authorisation(ETA) facilities shall be extended to all the countries except 8 countries - Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nigeria,” according to a release by Tourism Ministry.
Ministry of Home Affairs will work out manpower, infrastructure and other requirements for expanding the TVOA and initiating the ETA facility. The new system of TVOA and ETA could be put into place by October, 2014, the release added.
Further, the release also said that, “All categories that can be accommodated within the category “short stay”, i.e., stays of 30 days or less, should be put under the category of short term visas.”
Short term visas will not be extended to categories under a negative list which could include purposes such as those seeking paid employment, education etc. Short term visas would not be extendable beyond 30 days.
Prospective visitors can apply online for ETA and will send their two-page visa application to the Bureau of Immigration (BOI) online, according to the release.
It will be examined and within three days the applicant will be informed whether or not he/she can travel to India. BOI agreed to extend ETA to all countries except the above 8 countries, the release further said.
These decisions were taken on February 5 at a meeting of the inter-ministerial group held under the chairmanship of Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission.
Foreign tourist arrivals has seen a growth of 3 per cent in January as there were 7.20 lakh foreign tourists in January as against 6.99 lakh during the same period last year, according to Tourism Ministry data.
The forex earnings in January 2014 were USD 1.805 billion as compared to USD 1.925 billion during January 2013, a decrease of 6.2 per cent despite the growth of 3 per cent in foreign tourist arrival. (KNN/ES)
“The Tourist Visa on Arrival(TVOA) and Electronic Travel Authorisation(ETA) facilities shall be extended to all the countries except 8 countries - Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nigeria,” according to a release by Tourism Ministry.
Ministry of Home Affairs will work out manpower, infrastructure and other requirements for expanding the TVOA and initiating the ETA facility. The new system of TVOA and ETA could be put into place by October, 2014, the release added.
Further, the release also said that, “All categories that can be accommodated within the category “short stay”, i.e., stays of 30 days or less, should be put under the category of short term visas.”
Short term visas will not be extended to categories under a negative list which could include purposes such as those seeking paid employment, education etc. Short term visas would not be extendable beyond 30 days.
Prospective visitors can apply online for ETA and will send their two-page visa application to the Bureau of Immigration (BOI) online, according to the release.
It will be examined and within three days the applicant will be informed whether or not he/she can travel to India. BOI agreed to extend ETA to all countries except the above 8 countries, the release further said.
These decisions were taken on February 5 at a meeting of the inter-ministerial group held under the chairmanship of Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission.
Foreign tourist arrivals has seen a growth of 3 per cent in January as there were 7.20 lakh foreign tourists in January as against 6.99 lakh during the same period last year, according to Tourism Ministry data.
The forex earnings in January 2014 were USD 1.805 billion as compared to USD 1.925 billion during January 2013, a decrease of 6.2 per cent despite the growth of 3 per cent in foreign tourist arrival. (KNN/ES)
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