Tag Archives: e-visa

As per the new amendments in e-Visa provisions by the Ministry of Home Affairs, India’s Port Blair seaport is now a designated entry port for e-Visa holders. The amendment will boost yacht and superyacht business along with cruise tourism. Now, five other Indian seaports where persons with e-Visa will be allowed includes Mumbai, Cochin, Mormugao, Chennai, and New Mangalore.

According to an official order, those Canadian passport-holders who wish to visit India for tourism, business, medical or conference purposes, may apply for eVisa at https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html and follow instructions contained therein. Canadian passport-holders seeking to travel to India for any purpose, not qualifying for eVisa, may apply for paper visa at https://www.bisindia-canada.com/. The same process is applicable to Laissez-passer travel document holders. Those who have applied for visa through various BLS Centres in Canada are advised to wait for issuance of the same. All such applications will be processed on priority. Those applicants who wish to withdraw their respective visa applications may do so by visiting the website https://www.bisindia-canada.com/ and choosing the option for Application Withdrawal’. Those who have booked appointments to apply for tourist, business, medical or conference visa at BLS Centres in Canada and would, now, like to apply for eVisa instead, are requested to vacate/cancel their appointment siots so that the same becomes available to others seeking visa/consular services.

Russia will be offering e-visa from 1st January 2021 to 52 countries, including India. The information was shared at the Discover Moscow Digital Roadshow. “Indians can file for electronic visa to enter Russia for tourist, business, humanitarian and guest visits. E-visa will be valid for 60 days from the date of receipt, for up to 16 days to travel to all regions of Russia. Tourists will not be required to provide an invitation, hotels reservations or any other documents to confirm the purpose of the trip. They have to pay a counsellor fee of about US$40, and it will be free for children under 6 years. The period of issuing the e-visa will not be longer than 4 calendar days the date of submission. The application can be submitted by a travel agent as well.

From December 7 to 11, Russian Expo Days (RED) online exhibition for travel professionals from India will take place at russiadays.travel. Eight exhibitors have already confirmed their participation: St. Petersburg, Kamchatka, Krasnodar, Murmansk, Vladimir, Tula, Samara and Amur regions. In the framework of the RED business programme, there will be live sessions on e-visa, tax-free shopping, industrial tourism, and online presentations with travel businesses of Russia’s regions. All webinars and materials are available for free for all registered users. The website is constantly updated with new information and virtual stands of the exhibiting regions are already open. Join the event here: russiadays.travel.

The government has recently made a series of amendments in the e-visa regime to make it more tourist-friendly. The duration of stay in India of e-tourist and e-business visas is maximum up to one year with multiple entry subject to the stay stipulations. Also, the existing restriction of allowing foreigners for a maximum of three times has also been removed. On e-tourist visa, continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 90 days in case of nationals of all countries who are eligible for grant of e-visa except nationals of USA, UK, Canada and Japan. In case of nationals of USA, UK, Canada and Japan, continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days. In all cases, no registration will be required. On the Changes in e-business visa, continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days in case of nationals of all countries who are eligible for grant of e-visa. No registration will be required if the stay is for a period of less than 180 days. The e-visa is valid for entry through two more designated airports (Bhubaneswar and Port Blair), raising the total number of such airports to 28.

To attract more tourists in India, Niti Aayog has proposed increasing the validity period of e-Visas to 10 years and the number of annual visits for those on e-medical visa be enhanced. Currently, the validity of e-Visa (except e-Conference visa) is 60 days from the date of arrival in India. In case of e-Conference visa, the validity is 30 days. Double entry is permitted on e-Tourist visa and e-Business visa. Triple entry is permitted on e-Medical visa and e-Medical Attendant visa. Only single entry is permitted on e-Conference visa. e-Visa can be availed for a maximum of three times in a calendar year between January to December. In its report ‘The Strategy for New India @ 75’, Niti Aayog has said that despite the introduction of an e-Visa facility, visitors find the process of applying for a visa cumbersome. Niti Aayog has also suggested that the number of annual visits allowed under an e-Medical visa be enhanced. Currently, e-Medical visa holders are allowed three repeat visits during their one-year visa period. According to the report, “This may not be sufficient for patients who require follow-up/post-operative care.” The report also said that India should increase the number of persons accompanying those with e-medical visa from the current two to four under the same visa, as has been done in countries like Malaysia. Source: PTI

Indian nationals having supporting document are now eligible for Turkish e-Visa – equivalent to the sticker visa issued at Turkish missions. Getting e-visa costs 45 USD less than sticker visa and it takes only 3 minutes at the said website. Turkish mission in India delegates no handling company for e-visa. One needs to log on to official web site https://www.evisa.gov.tr. Turkish e-visa is only valid when the purpose of travel is tourism or commerce. For other purposes, such as work and study, Turkish Embassy or Consulates will issue visa. E-visa kiosks at any airport in Istanbul will not be available after October 28, 2018. One needs to get e-visa before departure to Turkey.

The government earned ₹1,400 crore as revenue from the e-Visa scheme, offered to citizens of 163 countries visiting India as tourists, since its launch in 2014. The Union Home Ministry officials said 19 lakh tourists made use of the e-Visa scheme in 2017 and it is expected that more than 25 lakh tourists will avail the facility in 2018. Since its launch in 2014, the e-Visa scheme has brought in revenue of more than ₹1,400 crore, a senior ministry official said. The e-visa fees are divided into four slabs of zero, $25, $50 and $75, which were fixed on reciprocity and depending on nationality. The scheme has been implemented by the foreigners division of the Home Ministry to improve the efficiency and transparency of various services being provided to foreign nationals. The facility is now available for nationals of 163 countries for entry into India through 25 international airports and five sea ports. Under the scheme, an applicant, when an online application is submitted, receives an e-mail authorising him or her to travel to India after it has been approved. The tourist can travel with a printout of this authorisation, another official said. The scheme also covers business and medical categories. SOURCE: PTI

Vietnam has expanded its e-visa scheme to cover visitors from six more countries, including major tourism markets like Australia and India, taking the total number of countries now to 46. Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the UAE are the other four. Vietnam began allowing tourists from 40 countries to apply for e-visas last February, with China, Japan, South Korea, the US, the UK, Germany and Sweden — all major target markets for its tourism sector, among the 40. Of the six new additions, Australians are the seventh biggest group of foreign arrivals and among the top spenders. Visitors can apply online for a 30-day, single-entry visa by paying a non-refundable application fee. It will take applicants three working days to find out if their visa applications have been approved. Visitors with e-visas can enter through eight international airports, 13 international border gates on land or seven ports. Source: Vietnam News  

Ethiopian Immigration and Nationality Affairs Main Department in collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines Group launched e-visa services for African and international participants of Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) held in Ethiopia. MICE travellers to Ethiopia will now be able to issue their visas online, book, pay and check-in their flight with Ethiopian Airlines online. Tewolde Gebre Mariam, Group CEO, Ethiopian Airlines, remarked, “With the immense potential for conference tourism, Ethiopia has still a lot to do to tap into the sector. The launching of an e-visa service for MICE is an impetus for the exponential demand of Ethiopia’s conference tourism, saving time and cost besides inducing a modern online visa application process. Gebreyohannes Teklu, Director, Main Department for Immigration & Nationality Affairs, said, “The introduction of e-visa for MICE will provide travellers with a fast and convenient way to apply for a visa and initiate their travel to Ethiopia while ensuring absolute security of sensitive information.”