Tourist visa norms to be eased

The Union home ministry has softened its stand on the visa-on-arrival facility to facilitate the arrival of foreign tourists in India.

While direct visa-on-arrival facility has still not been granted, the home ministry has decided to grant landing permits along with a multiple-entry facility to foreign tourists coming in groups of more than four and sponsored by recognised Indian travel agencies.

In a circular issued recently, the ministry said groups, which had a pre-drawn itinerary, might be granted a multiple-entry facility and a collective landing permit for a maximum of 60 days.

It, however, added that such permission would be granted on a fixed itinerary, which the group would not be permitted to change later.

Also, the travel agent would have to give an assurance that no individual would be allowed to drop out from the group at any place.

The travel agency would have to submit a written request to the immigration officer, giving full personal and passport details of the group members, itinerary and undertaking to conduct the tour as per the itinerary, it added.

The government has, however, not granted the landing permit facility to the nationals of eight countries, including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Nigeria and Ethiopia.

This, effectively, means that the facility extends to all the main feeder markets, including England, America, Germany and France and even potential countries like China and those in  Southeast Asia.

Till now, the landing permit facility to foreign nationals was restricted to those transiting through India if they had a confirmed onward journey ticket.

This was for up to 72 hours. A maximum 15-day permit could also be granted to foreigners arriving in emergency situations like death or illness in the family or in case of a technical lapse in visa.

Earlier, the tourism ministry had proposed the installation of visa-on-arrival facility for foreigners arriving in India saying it would act as a major boost for in-bound tourism.

While the proposal was cleared by the civil aviation ministry and even space was allotted on the airport for the purpose, it was turned down by the home ministry because of security considerations.

This was immediately after the September 11 attacks in the US. This initiative has, however, come as a welcome surprise to the tourism industry.