PRESS RELEASE

 

India launches Online Visa Authorisation for South Koreans

1. With a view to make the Indian visa process simpler, faster and more user friendly, the Government of India launched the TVOA-ETA (Tourist Visa on Arrival - enabled with Electronic Travel Authorisation) scheme, on 27 November 2014, for South Korean citizens and some other nationals.

2. The applicants, holding passports with at least 6 month validity, can now get a single entry tourist visa (maximum twice a year) for 30 days by applying online at https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html. Visa fee would also be payable online.  An email confirming the grant of visa will be sent within 72 hours. The purpose of the visit may range from tourism, casual business, short term medical treatment, meeting friends and relatives. Duration of visa will NOT be extended except in a medical emergency. However longer duration Tourist visas can be obtained through the Embassy of India (www.blsindiavisa.kr) as per existing practice.

 

3. To get Visa-on-arrival, the applicant will be required to present a printout of the email confirming grant of visa, to the immigration officer in India, at one of the nine designated international airports - Bangalore, Chennai, Kochin, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram. The applicant’s biometric data will also be captured on arrival, like in South Korea.

 

4.  With the introduction of the TVOA-ETA, the Tourist Visa on Arrival facility (introduced for Korean nationals in April this year) will be stopped from 27 December 2014.

 

5. Travel of Diplomatic and Official passport holders will continue to be governed by existing bilateral agreement.

 

6. A brochure, giving brief details of the scheme is available for download as pdf file from the mission’ website (www.indembassy.or.kr)

 

Seoul

12 Dec. 2014