As of now, the Indian government is introducing the “Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) enabled with Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)” in order to facilitate travel to India for travelers from Europe and other regions.
Travelers must fill out an online ETA Application (Electronic Travel Authorization) at indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html . The visa fee is USD 60.
The visa could, for example, be used by people who have planned a business trip to India. The entry into India must take place within 30 days of approval of the ETA. The maximum duration of stay can be up to 30 days after arriving in the country. Visitors can travel into the country via the following airports: Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Calcutta, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram. The Visa on Arrival can be used a maximum of twice per year.
Members of the following 43 countries are eligible for this scheme:
Germany, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, The Cook Islands, Djibouti, The Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kingdom of Tonga, Laos, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Mexico, Myanmar, New Zealand, Niue, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, The Independent and Sovereign Republic of Kiribati, The Republic of Korea (South Korea), The Republic of the Marshall Islands, The Republic of Nauru, The Republic of Palau, Russia, Samoa, Singapore, The Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine, USA, Vietnam, Vanuatu. An extended list of countries which are eligible for the TVoA will be published by the Indian government in due time.
Requirements for the TVoA are as follows:
- A passport that is valid for the next six weeks (except for diplomatic, official, special, or service passports)
- Travelers must not have a residence in India or have a job there
- Travelers must have a return flight ticket or a ticket for further travel, as well as sufficient funds to cover all costs during their stay.
Travelers can apply for the visa at the earliest 30 days before the trip and at the latest 4 days before the trip online. A current photo with a white background as well as the photo page of the passport must be uploaded as well as the application.
The status of the application can be tracked in the “VISA STATUS” category by entering the processing and passport numbers. When starting the trip, the travelers should have a copy of the confirmed application in their passport.