Special non-refundable fee of $ 60 per person for e-Tourist Visa to India

Friday, 17 April 2015 05:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Indian High Commission yesterday announced updated information on the new visa arrangement for tourists including the imposition of a non-refundable fee of $ 60 per person and this facility is restricted to being used twice a year. Following is the full statement issued by the Indian High Commission. In pursuance of the announcement made on March 14, 2015 by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, the High Commission of India has the pleasure to inform that the e-Tourist Visa (eTV) scheme (earlier known as the Tourist Visa on Arrival enabled by Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) scheme) has been extended to Sri Lankan nationals with effect from Tuesday, 14 April 2015. The new scheme will be in addition to the existing visa services. Sri Lankan nationals holding Diplomatic/Official passports cannot avail of the eTV scheme. Sri Lankan nationals of Pakistani origin cannot avail of the eTV scheme either. The eTV can be utilised by all Sri Lankan Nationals holding ordinary passports whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, short duration medical treatment or casual business visit. The applicant should not have a residence or occupation in India. The applicant should hold a passport with at least six months validity from the date of arrival in India. The visa will not be issued on arrival without ETA. Applicants have to apply and obtain ETA online prior to undertaking travel to India. This process will take a minimum of four working days. The eTV will be for single-entry and valid for only 30 days stay from the date of arrival in India. The eTV will be non-extendable, non-convertible and not valid for visiting Protected /Restricted and Cantonment Areas. Entry into India must be through any of the following 9 designated airports only - Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram. However, exit can be through any authorised Immigration Check Post (ICP) in India. Entry into India must be undertaken within 30 days from the date of approval of ETA. The eTV facility cannot be availed of more than twice in a calendar year. The applicant should carry a printed copy of ETA along with him / her at the time of travel. He/she should have a return / onward journey ticket, with sufficient money to spend during his/her stay in India. Biometric details of the applicant will be captured at Immigration on arrival in India. There is a special fee of $ 60 per person (plus an interchange charge of $ 2 for credit/debit cards) for the new scheme. This fee must be paid before the application can be processed, and once paid, the fee is non-refundable.

How to apply for ETA

Applicants should apply online at https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html Each applicant must have a separate passport (international travel documents shall not be accepted). Applications by individuals endorsed on parent’s/ spouse’s passport shall not be accepted. The application process requires uploading the scanned page of the passport containing the photo and personal details like name, date of birth, nationality, expiry date, etc., in PDF format (10 KB to 300 KB). The application process also requires the uploading of a recent front-facing digital photograph with plain white background, in JPEG format (10 KB to 1 MB). The head should be centred within the frame and present the full head, from top of hair to bottom of chin. The photograph should not have any shadow on the face or on the background, and should not have any border. The height and width of the photograph must be equal. The application is liable to be rejected if the uploaded document and photograph are not clear and as per specification. The fee can be paid through a credit or debit card. If there are more than three unsuccessful payment attempts, the application ID will be blocked and the application has to be made afresh, with a new application ID. A decision on the application will be conveyed by email. Applicants are advised to ensure that correct e-mail address is provided. Applicants can track the status of their application online by clicking visa status. For any assistance call 24x7 visa support centre at +91-11-24300666 or send email to [email protected] The process of ETA issuance is completely online, and the High Commission / Consulates General / Assistant High Commission in Sri Lanka will be unable to assist in expediting the issuance of ETAs. However, in case the eTV application is rejected, the applicant may apply afresh for the issue of a regular visa.