Qatar become latest country to be added to India’s list of eligible nations for e-visa
If you have been wanting to visit India for tourism or other purposes, then things have just become a little bit easier.
This is because India just added Qatar to its list of countries whose citizens can apply for an e-visa online, reported Gulf Times.
At the moment, the list contains 167 countries and territories. The facility is in addition to existing visa services being provided by the Embassy of India in Doha.
e-Visa facility to travellers from Qatar. pic.twitter.com/h9L5vRBWVs
The advantage of an e-visa is that it can be applied online and does not require a person to be physically present at the time of submission of application. A visa-sticker also need not be affixed on the passport by the Embassy.
The visa, once approved, will be sent to the applicant via email and will be called the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), reported The Peninsula.
The applicant need to carry a copy of the ETA along with him/her at the time of travel. Applicants will be able to track the status of their application online at https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html.
On the basis of a valid ETA, a ‘visa’ will be stamped on the visitor’s passport when he exits the airport in India. The passenger’s biometric details will be taken at the airport of exit.
One should particularly note that this is different from the ‘visa on arrival’ facility. Under this scheme, entry into India is subject to prior clearance in the form of ETA. Travellers who arrive in India without the ETA will not be allowed entry under this facility, reported Qatar Tribune.
Only those people who are going to India for recreation, sight-seeing, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, short duration medical treatment or casual business visit are eligible to apply for e-visas.
The passenger’s passport should have at least six months of validity from the date of arrival in India. It should also have at least two blank pages for the immigration official to affix their stamps.
A return ticket and sufficient money to spend during the stay in India are mandatory. The e-visa is given out in three categories — e-tourist, e-business and e-medical visa.
The e-visa’s validity will be 60 days from the date of arrival in India. Double entry is permitted on e-tourist visa and e-business visa. Triple entry will be permitted on e-medical visa.
