India extends visa-on-arrival to Qatar, other countries

Passport holders from Qatar will soon be able to get an Indian tourist visa on arrival, together with the citizens of all GCC states.

Under the new rules that are expected to take effect later this year, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar have been included with 180 other countries added to the scheme.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia were amongst 40 countries already announced for visa on arrivals in October, along with the US, UK, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Poland, Norway and Ireland.

However, eight countries  - Pakistan, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Somalia - have been excluded from the list after being categorised as “sensitive” for security reasons, it was reported.

About 11 countries already have visa-on-arrival access, including Japan, Finland, Singapore, Indonesia, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar.

However, in expanding the scheme India hopes to add to the estimated 7 million tourists that visit the Asian nation each year, generating more than $121bn or 6.4 percent of GDP, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

The model likely to be put in place will do away with the need to visit an Indian mission but will require tourists to make an online application before their departure, local media reported.

However, once in India, tourists will have to undergo a biometric identification to receive the 30-day visa. The facility will be available at 26 airports.

“It is a major move and we hope it will boost tourism in a big way. We hope to implement this from the next tourist session beginning in October," India’s Minister of State for Planning and Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla was quoted by media as saying.

Indian officials said implementation hinged on boosting infrastructure and staff at immigration counters across airports.

“The government hopes to have these resources in place by September so that the new system can be rolled out in time for the tourist season," Indian government officials said.

Source: arabianbusiness.com | Image