Lok Sabha Question No. 692 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-21
Subject: e-Visa Scheme
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: ADVOCATE NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.692 ANSWERED ON 21.11.2016

## E-VISA SCHEME

## 692.  ADV. NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the e-visa scheme launched by the Government in 2014;
- (b) whether the scheme has recently been extended to some more countries and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  e-visa  scheme  was  launched  to  attract  more  tourists and promote business interest in the country; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) and (b): Government of India introduced e-Tourist Visa (earlier known as Tourist Visa on Arrival enabled by ETA) to facilitate foreign travelers visiting India to the nationals of  the  43  countries  on 27.11.2014.  At  present,  this  scheme  has  been  extended  to  150 countries  arriving  at  16  International  Airports  in  India.  Details  of countries is at Annexure.

- (c) and (d): The e-visa scheme was launched by the Government of India to attract more tourists and promote business opportunities in the country.

During  January-December  2015  a  total  of 4,45,300  tourists arrived  availing  e-Tourist  Visa  as  compared  to  39,046  visa  issued during January-December 2014 registering a growth of 1040.4%.

During 2016 from January to October, a total number of 780570 tourists  from  various  countries  availed  this  scheme  registering  a growth of 202.3% over the same period of 2015. This high growth may be attributed to introduction of e-Tourist Visa.

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## ANNEXURE

STATEMENT  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  AND  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.692 ANSWERED ON 21.11.2016 REGARDING E-VISA SCHEME.

## DETAILS OF COUNTRIES ELIGIBLE FOR E-TOURIST VISA

Albania,  Andorra,  Anguilla,  Antigua  &  Barbuda,  Argentina,  Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia &  Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman  Island, Chile, China, ChinaSAR Hongkong,  China-  SAR  Macau,  Colombia,  Comoros,  Cook  Islands, Costa  Rica,  Cote  d'lvoire,  Croatia,  Cuba,  Czech  Republic,  Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,  Dominican  Republic,  East  Timor,  Ecuador,  El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France,  Gabon,  Gambia, Georgia, Germany,  Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,  Guinea, Guyana,  Haiti,  Honduras,  Hungary,  Iceland,  Indonesia,  Ireland,  Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia,  Liechtenstein,  Lithuania,  Luxembourg,  Madagascar,  Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico,  Micronesia, Moldova,  Monaco,  Mongolia,  Montenegro,  Montserrat,  Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niue Island,  Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,  Peru,  Philippines,  Poland,  Portugal,  Republic  of  Korea, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint  Lucia,  Saint  Vincent  &  the  Grenadines,  Samoa,  San  Marino, Senegal,  Serbia,  Seychelles,  Singapore,  Slovakia,  Slovenia,  Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Island, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay,  USA,  Vanuatu,  Vatican  City-Holy  See,  Venezuela,  Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

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