Question : Online Visa Facility

(a) whether the number of foreign tourists visiting the country is on a steep rise after the launching of e-tourist visa scheme;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the details of countries from where maximum number of foreign tourist visited on e-visa;
(c) the number of tourists who visited on e-visa during the last three years and the current year, year-wise along with their favourite port of arrival in the country;
(d) whether the Government is going to capitalize on this advantage and attract more tourists by extending e-visa facility to tourists from more countries in the world; and
(e) whether the Government has already sent a proposal to the Ministry of Home Affairs and if so, the details thereof along with the names of the countries to which Government is considering to give permission for issuing visa-on-arrival along with the details of present countries?

Answer given by the minister

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)
(a): Yes, Madam.

(b) & (c): Government of India launched the facility of Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) enabled Tourist Visa on Arrivals (TVoAs) for the nationals of 43 countries in November 2014. Prior to this, TVoAs facility was available for citizens of 11 countries. The facility of ETA enabled TVoA has been renamed as e-Tourist Visa (e-TV). At present, the facility of e-TV is available for citizens of 150 countries. Nationality-wise breakup of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) on e-TVs during 2014, 2015 and Jan-June 2016 is given in Annexure-I. The number of FTAs on e-TVs during 2013, 2014, 2015 and Jan-June 2016 were 20294, 39064, 445300 and 471909, respectively. The facility of e-TVs is available for foreign tourists arriving at 16 airports. The port-wise FTAs on e-TVs is given in Annexure-II.

(d): Yes, Madam.

(e): Yes, Madam. Names of countries are as below:
<pre>
Sr. No. Country Name Sr. No. Country Name
1. Italy 19. Uganda
2. Saudi Arabia 20. Tunisia
3. Maldives 21. Turkmenistan
4. Nigeria 22. Angola
5. Iran 23. Algeria
6. Turkey 24. Kyrgyzstan
7. Yemen 25. Rwanda
8. Egypt 26. Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
9. Ethiopia 27. Azerbaijan
10. Kazakhstan 28. Niger Republic
11. Uzbekistan 29. Cyprus
12. Bahrain 30. Cameroon Union Rep.
13. Kuwait 31. Somalia
14. Belarus 32. British Subject & Colo.
15. Morocco 33. Mali
16. Lebanon 34. Burundi
17. Qatar 35. Congo
18. Slovak Rep. 36. Sierra Leone
</pre>
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