Before the suspension of tourist visas, around 7-8 lakh tourists used to come to India every month
An incoming foreign tourist might have to show their vaccination certificate or undergo a quarantine period or face rejection, which will depend on how they treat Indian tourists visiting their country. Hence, the officials concerned will have to scrutinise each application based on the latest rules. Before the suspension of tourist visas, around 7-8 lakh tourists used to come to India every month.
As India readies to open its border for international tourists, the government has been mulling about ‘reciprocal treatment’ to applicants under new visa conditions. The visa facilitation will depend on the applicant’s home country’s policy for the Indian tourists.
Incidentally, the government had announced to provide free-of-cost visas to the first five lakh foreign tourists who hit the Indian shores before March 31, 2022
A senior official of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was quoted saying that the visa situation would be sorted out soon. In fact, a meeting chaired by the Union Home Secretary was held last week. Among the participants were representatives from all concerned agencies. “In the meeting, it was decided to provide reciprocal treatment to tourists visiting India. Many countries have opened for tourists from foreign countries but have posed several restrictions for Indian travellers. The issues have been raised with the diplomats of concerned countries to get issues resolved,” the official said.
An incoming foreign tourist then might have to show their vaccination certificate or undergo a quarantine period or face rejection. It all depends on how they treat Indian tourists visiting their country. Hence, officials concerned will have to scrutinise each application based on the latest rules, instead of a standard one that was applicable 18 months ago when tourist visas were first withdrawn due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kenya, Sri Lanka, UAE, Mauritius, Egypt, Russia, Iceland, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Italy and several other countries have opened their border for Indian tourists but with conditions like quarantine period, fully vaccinated, compulsory RT-PCR report or Covid test on arrival
The MHA also held talks with tour operators association, ministry of tourism, ministry of aviation, and other stakeholders to chalk out the framework. The final decision over the matter will be decided in the next meeting that will be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary scheduled in the coming days.
Incidentally, the government had announced to provide free-of-cost visas to the first five lakh foreign tourists who hit the Indian shores before March 31, 2022. Kenya, Sri Lanka, UAE, Mauritius, Egypt, Russia, Iceland, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Italy and several other countries have opened their border for Indian tourists but with conditions like quarantine period, fully vaccinated, compulsory RT-PCR report or Covid test on arrival.
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