Dubai: Emiratis can now apply for a new 30-day Indian tourist visa that is obtained online, the Indian consul general said in Dubai on Monday.
Anurag Bhushan said the UAE is one of more than 40 countries eligible for the Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) enabled by the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system.
His comments came during a press briefing at the Indian consulate in Dubai on Monday.
The TVoA-ETA has been extended by India to the UAE in collaboration with the Indian Tourism Office in Dubai, the consulate said in a media invite.
The single-entry electronic visa costs $60 (around Dh220) and is valid for use within 30 days of being issued. Tourists can apply for a maximum of two TVoA-ETAs in one year.
Regular bank card charges also apply, which can vary from one card to another.
Unlike other visa regimes, there is no need to wait for a certain time before re-applying for another visa under the TVoA-ETA system.
The system went live on November 27, making it easy for tourists to travel to India, which usually requires applicants to wait weeks before visas are issued.
The new tourist e-visa is issued within a maximum of 72 hours, regardless of working days or holidays that fall in the time frame.
Though it is called visa-on-arrival, the new visa has to be applied for online before travelling to India. Once the payment is made online and the visa is issued, tourists have to keep a printout of the visa with them to show immigration officials on arrival to India.
The scheme is valid at nine airports in India, including in Mumbai and the capital New Delhi. Biometrics of the tourists are also recorded at the immigration counter in India.
