Progress of Tourist Visa on Arrival Scheme in March 2012

Last March a total number of 1287 Visa on Arrival (VoAs) were issued as compared to 1089 VoAs during the month of March 2011 registering a positive growth of 18.2%. During the period January-March 2012, a total number of 3905 VoAs were issued as compared to 2905 VoAs during corresponding period of 2011 registering a positive growth of 34.4%. The number of VoAs issued under this Scheme, during March 2012 for nationals of the ten countries were Japan (369), New Zealand (246), Indonesia (212), Singapore (195), Philippines (151), Finland (78), Vietnam (12), Cambodia (10), Luxemburg (8) and Myanmar (6). The number of VoAs issued under this Scheme, during January-March 2012 were Japan (925), New Zealand (887), Indonesia (663), Philippines (527), Singapore (512), Finland (282), Vietnam (40), Luxemburg (24), Myanmar (23), Cambodia (20) and Laos (2).During the period January-March 2012, the maximum number of VoAs were issued at Delhi airport (2265), followed by Mumbai (914), Chennai (493) and Kolkata (233). 

As a facilitative measure to attract more foreign tourists to India, The Government launched a Scheme of “Visa on Arrival” (VoA) in January, 2010 for citizens of five countries, viz Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore, visiting India for tourism purposes. This scheme was further extended for the citizens of six more countries, namely, Combodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Laos and Myanmar from January, 2011.