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Russians to be issued Indian entry visas upon arrival at airport from October 2014

Visas issued at airports will be valid for a term of 30 days for a single entry

© EPA/MANUNATH KIRAN

NEW DELHI, February 06, /ITAR-TASS/. Russians will able to obtain Indian entry visas upon arrival in that country starting from October 2014.

Indian Minister of Planning Rajeev Shukla told journalists on Wednesday that the government had adopted a extended list of countries, whose citizens can get entry visas upon arrival at an Indian airport. The list will have 180 countries more, including Russia - practically all countries of the globe but for Iran, China, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and some other states. “It was decided to add 180 countries more to the list,” Shukla said. “Now we will need up to six months to prepare the relevant infrastructure at airports.”

According to the Indian minister, this regulation will come in force from October 2014 at nine airports, including the Indira Gandhi international airport in New Delhi, the Chatrapati Shivaji international airport in Mumbai, and the Dabolim international airport in Goa.

Visas issued at airports will be valid for a term of 30 days for a single entry. To obtain such visa, a tourist will have to fill in a form via the internet and pay a fee. The visa will be issued in the electronic form in a span of three days to be confirmed at an airport.

The initiative to extend the corresponding list came from India’s planning commission. Initially, it was planned to include, apart from Russians, citizens of Brazil, the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and Germany. But later, it was extended still more to include practically all world nations. India has relevant agreements with Japan, Finland, Singapore, Indonesia, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, and Myanmar.

In 2012, India received 6.58 million foreign tourists, or by 4.3 percent more than a year before.

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