Category Archives: Visa

Christina Garcia Frasco, Secretary, Department of Tourism, Kingdom of Philippines said she is hopeful to see surge in Indian arrivals to the archipelago with easy visa regime announced and Air India’s five times weekly flight service, starting 1 October. She added, “We are in talks with industry stakeholders to promote the nation for Indian travellers.”

India has extended a free e-tourist visa to the Philippines’ nationals. This decision comes after the Philippines declared a 14-day visa-free entry to Indians. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, made the announcement following the bilateral talks with Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines, on his official visit to India.

Akasa Air has launched visa services in partnership with Udaan India, offering seamless end-to-end visa assistance for over 100 countries. Integrated into its website, the service is designed for both business and leisure travellers. As an introductory offer, the airline is providing a 20% discount on visa fees using code EVISA20 till 31 December.

In a written response, Kirti Vardhan Singh, MoS, External Affairs, informed the upper house that India has granted over 96 lakh e-visas to foreigners from 2020 till July 20 this year, the government informed Parliament. The number of countries eligible for the e-visa facility has increased from 171 in 2020 to 181 in 2025, she added.

India will begin issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals from today – July 24, 2025, marking the end of a five-year suspension. In a statement, the Embassy of India in China said that Chinese citizens can apply for a tourist visa after completing an online application, scheduling an appointment and personally submitting their passport and other documents to the Indian Visa Application Centers in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Saudi Arabia introduces a 30-day grace period for expired visit visas. This initiative starts from June 26-27, 2025. Visitors can extend their stay and exit legally without penalties. They must pay fees via the Absher platform. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah reminds pilgrims to exit on time. This move ensures compliance with immigration rules and eases departure.

In a major boost to regional tourism, Surat International Airport has been added as an authorised e-Visa entry point from 30 May. This makes Surat the 32nd international airport in India to offer e-Visa access to foreign travellers, enhancing travel ease and promoting tourism in one of the fastest-developing cities of India.

The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs has announced a 14-day free visa entry for Indian travellers to enhance tourism arrivals from India. The visa-free entry may be availed in any Philippines port of entry, and the purpose of visit to the country shall be for tourism. Indian nationals availing of the said privilege will need to produce proof of identity.

VFS Global announces the launch of its flagship Visa Application Centre in Dubai’s Wafi City, marking the opening of the largest visa application facility in the world. The centre was inaugurated by His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism; His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General, General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai; and Mr. Zubin Karkaria, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global Group. His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism said, “This milestone is more than an infrastructure achievement — it reflects the strategic direction Dubai is taking to enhance global mobility, unlock access to opportunity, and accelerate growth across our visitor and business economy. As we advance the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, strengthening seamless access to and from Dubai remains a priority. Visa facilitation is a key enabler of talent attraction, tourism development, and international partnerships — all essential levers of our strategy to position Dubai as the world’s most connected and future-ready city.” His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General, General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai said, “Today, we witnessed the inauguration of a new milestone in the journey of excellence pursued by the UAE in general and Dubai in particular, with the opening of the world’s largest Visa Application Centre, located in the heart of Dubai, a city that continuously redefines innovation. This achievement embodies a true reflection of the directives of our wise leadership towards strengthening the nation’s position as a global hub for smart services and establishing a unique model for delivering government services with high efficiency and quality. We believe that continuous …

In a significant step towards enhancing the visa application experience for Indian travellers, VFS Global, the world’s leading technology services specialist in secure mobility solutions, and the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) joined hands to successfully host a Visa Insights Workshop titled Consultant-to-Officer Dialogues in Hyderabad, Telangana, on 17 May 2025. The interactive session was attended by 40 travel agents from the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh chapters of TAAI and staff from the VFS Global Visa Application Centre. The workshop facilitated dialogue between travel consultants and VFS Global, promoting transparency and mutual understanding in the visa facilitation process. The event featured discussions on the end-to-end process of visa applications handled by VFS Global, focusing on operational best practices, process timelines, document requirements, and traveller preparedness. The workshop provided a platform for travel agents to share challenges they face while assisting clients with visa applications, allowing VFS Global to address concerns, clarify procedures, and explore opportunities for continuous improvement, leaving all participants with a sense of optimism for the future. Sunil Kumar, President, Travel Agents Association of India, said, “This joint knowledge-sharing workshop by TAAI and VFS Global, is among the firsts of its kind. This is a commendable initiative that strengthens the bridge between visa consultants from travel companies and VFS Global frontline employees. Such collaborative efforts not only enhance operational efficiency but also empower our industry professionals with deeper insights needed to deliver exceptional service to travellers, especially in an evolving travel environment. TAAI is truly delighted to have partnered with VFS Global in launching the Pilot Programme in Hyderabad, which was attended by 40 experienced visa consultants who had a dialogue with over 25 VFS Global frontline …