E-Tourist Visa Scheme extended to 37 more countries

The Union Government has extended e-Tourist Visa Scheme to 37 more countries. With this, the total count of countries under the scheme will become 150.
The new countries included in e-Tourist Visa scheme are Austria, Albania, Botswana, Brunei, Bulgaria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Comoros, Cote d’lvoire, Cape Verde,  Czech Republic, Croatia, Eritrea, Denmark, Gabon, Greece, Guinea, Gambia, Ghana,  Madagascar, Malawi, Iceland, Lesotho, Liberia, San Marino, Moldova, Namibia, Romania, South Africa, Swaziland, Switzerland, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Trinidad & Tobago, Tajikistan, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

About E-Tourist Visa Scheme

• Union Government had launched e-Tourist Visa Scheme (as Tourist Visa on Arrival scheme) in November 2014.
• The e-Tourist Visa Scheme facilitates pre-authorization of Visa i.e. electronic travel authorisation given to foreigners prior to travel.
• Under this scheme, an applicant registers for visa online and receives an email authorising him/her to travel to India after it is approved.
• On arrival, the visitor has to present the authorisation to the immigration authorities who will in turn allow them to enter into the country.
• The scheme seeks to tap the vast tourism potential of India which still remains untapped and explored.

Month: Current Affairs - February, 2016