INDIA’s Ministry of External Affairs has extended its visa on arrival (VOA) facility to nationals of France, Germany and Russia, adding to the 11 countries to which the privilege is currently accorded.

Countries for which Indian VOA arrangements are pending include Spain and Malta, while Ukraine and Kazakhsthan are also under consideration.

Rohit Kohli, joint managing director, Creative Travel New Delhi said: “Most Indian missions overseas are very tardy in issuance of visas, and this can be a deterrent for foreign tourists. In some cases where visa issuance is outsourced, there is only an English version of the application form available, when they (should) at least be bilingual. In principle, VOA should enhance visitor arrivals.”

Rajesh Dumma, managing director, Classic Travel said: “We welcome the visa on arrival (being extended) to major source market countries. This will help us to market our packages more aggressively.”

Indian immigration records reveal that approximately 1,500 visitors avail of VOAs at Indian airports every month.