India
will extend visa-on arrival to tourists of all nations barring eight,
including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Iran, as it looks to boost
tourism, Planning Minister Rajeev Shukla said on Wednesday.
"We
have decided to extend the visa-on-arrival facility to tourists from 180
nations. It will take 5-6 months for the
respective departments to
put the required infrastructure in place. We hope to implement this from the
next tourist session beginning October," India currently offers visa-on-arrival to
tourists from 11 countries like Finland, the Philippines, Singapore and
Japan.
This
facility is now being extended to 180 countries. The only exception to this
rule will be nationals from Pakistan, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq,
Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Somalia, he said without giving reasons. Following a
high-level meeting with representatives from various ministries, he said the electronic
visa would be valid for 30 days from the date of the tourist's arrival in India.The
move, aimed at boosting country's tourism sector, would not need Cabinet's nod,
Shukla said, adding that Home Ministry would notify the same at an appropriate
time. "The facility will provide a major boost to the country's tourism
sector. This is historic," Shukla said. A separate website would be
set up for extending the facility to foreigners intending to visit India as
tourists. To get visa, they would need to apply in the designated website along
the required fees. They would be granted an electronic version of the visa
within three days.
"Visa-on-arrival
can be availed in all 26 major domestic airports from where international
flights ply,". The facility, however, will not be extended to nationals
from Pakistan, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Somalia,
he said without giving any specific reason.
India
offers tourist visa on arrival to around a dozen countries now. Wednesday's
meeting, at the behest of Planning Commission, was called to iron out the
objections raised by the Home Ministry for extending the facility to nationals
of 40 more countries including the US, the UK and Germany.