(a) the names of countries to which Visa on Arrival facility is extended as on date;
(b) Whether the same facility is reciprocated to the Indian citizens by these countries and if so, the details thereof;
(c) the names of the countries which do not reciprocate this facility to the Indian citizens along with the reasons therefor, and
(d) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to extend the scope of the visa-on-arrival scheme?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)
(a): Presently e-Tourist Visa Scheme (old name Tourist Visa on Arrival enabled with Electronic Travel Authorization) is available for the citizens of 45 countries viz. Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Djibouti, Finland, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Laos, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Mexico, Myanmar, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, UAE, Ukraine, Vietnam, USA, Cook Islands, Kingdom of Tongo, Tuvalu, Republic of Nauru, Republic of Kiribati, Vanuatu, Solomon Island, Samoa, Niue, Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Marshall Islands ,Fiji, Papua and New Guinea, Guyana and Sri Lanka.
(b) Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Jordan, Maldives, Macau, Timor Leste, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Seychelles, Kenya, Mozambique, Djibouti, Guinea-bissau, Mauritius, Sao Tome & Principe, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Cape Verde, Comoros, Egypt, Gambia, Togo, Jamaica, EI Salvador, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Bolivia, Guyana, Fiji, Samoa, Nauru, Tuvalu.
Besides the countries mentioned above, Indians can also obtain visa-on-arrival in the following 23 countries subject to them being pre-cleared before arrival in the country. These countries are Albania, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, DR Congo, Eritrea, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Mali, Mongolia, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam.
(c) the countries except mentioned in reply to (b) above are not extending Visa-on-Arrival facility to the Indian citizens. Extending Visa facilitation is a policy issue of that country concerned, which they decide keeping in mind several factors relevant to that country.
(d) The inclusion of additional countries in visa-on-arrival scheme is a continuous process which is done after appropriate consultation with all stake holders.