India has launched e-tourist Visa Scheme (eTV) aimed at making visa facility easier for India-bound Sri Lankans.
Those Sri Lankans holding ordinary passports can avail themselves of the facility, which came into effect on Tuesday coinciding with the Tamil and Sinhala New Year Day. Applicants need to go to indianvisaonline.gov.in and apply, according to a release of the Indian High Commission issued here on Thursday. This will be in addition to the existing system of visa services wherein applications for most of the categories are being processed through a private agency.
The launch of the scheme follows the announcement made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Colombo last month.
Visas to be issued under the new scheme will be for single-entry and valid for only 30 days’ stay from the date of arrival in India.
Entry into India must be through any of the nine designated airports. A fee of $ 60 will be levied per person for the new scheme. Asked about the expected increase in the number of tourists from Sri Lanka, an official of the High Commission replied that “we are in the test mode.” However, the fee under the new arrangement is about four times that of the existing system. The official acknowledges this but points out that the eTV scheme is “hassle free.”
