Question : TRANSIT VISA

(a) whether India commands a modest share of 0.6 per cent of the World`s tourist arrivals;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government is planning to introduce transit visa for 48 to 72 hours to encourage foreign tourists to make a quick stopover in India;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the time by which the same is likely to become operational; and

(e) the other measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to increase India`s share of international tourist arrivals?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK)

(a) and (b): The share of India in World’s tourist arrivals during 2013 was 0.64%.

(c) and (d): As per the extant provision laid down in the Visa Manual a transit visa is granted to a foreigner for the sole purpose of enabling him/her to travel through India to a destination outside India. The foreigner should hold a valid passport and valid travel documents for the country of destination and the countries en route, he/she should not be a persona-non- grata to the Government of India, he/she should not be an undesirable person, not the subject of a black list or warning circular or other restrictive list and should be a person of assured financial standing. A transit visa is only valid for direct transit irrespective of the period of stay in transit, which cannot be more than 3 days for each visit. The period is not extendable except in case of extreme emergency like strike, traffic disruption, inclement weather, illness etc.

For a stay in India beyond 3 days, a visa of the appropriate category should be obtained.

(e): The measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to boost tourism in the country are given in the Annexure.