Tourist Visa-on-Arrival Scheme

The Ministry of Tourism had conducted “A Study on Tourist Visa on Arrival Scheme” through Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) in 2011. The key findings of the study are given below:

1.            A majority of tourists availing Visa on Arrival (VoA) visit India for purposes of holidaying.

2.            Independent tourists are using VoA.

3.            The immigration officials provided timely and dependable service, were willing to help and clear doubts and were well informed.

4.            VoA significantly influences the decision to travel to India.

5.            A majority of the immigration officials view that VoA scheme is a step in right direction of promoting inbound tourism to India.

6.            Immigration personnel supported extension of VoA to other airports.

The port-wise Visa on Arrival for the last three years and the current year along with the growth rate is given below:

Port	2010	2011	2012	Jan-Oct, 2013
Chennai	1211	1948	2273	2210
Delhi	3493	7340	9596	8829
Kolkata	334	657	939	1099
Mumbai	1511	2816	3276	3286
Bangalore				174
Hyderabad				68
Kochi				75
Trivandrum				29
Total	6549	12761	16084	15770
Growth over previous year (in %)		94.9	26.0	28.5

           

            The Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVOA) facility was initially available to citizens of Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore in 2010.  This was extended to citizens of Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Laos and Myanmar in 2011.  Presently, it is not proposed to extend the Tourist Visa-on-Arrival facility to more countries.  As regards Airports, the said facility was extended to four more airports viz. Thiruvananthapuram, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi w.e.f. 15.08.2013.

            The provisions relating to two months gap between two visits of a foreign national to India on a Tourist Visa and Tourist Visa on Arrival has been reviewed by the Government. It has been decided to lift the restriction of two-month gap on re-entry of foreign nationals coming to India on Tourist Visa and Tourist Visa on Arrival.  However, this relaxation does not include nationals of Afghanistan, Maldives, China, Iraq, Pakistan, Sudan, foreigners of Pakistan origins and Stateless persons.

            The benefits that accrue when VoA is implemented by any country are as follows:

i.          Reduction in planning time for the international tourist intending to travel to an overseas destination.

ii.         Attract repeat visitors.

iii.        Enhance the image of the country as being “tourist friendly”.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Tourism (I/C) Shri K. Chiranjeevi in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.