India mulls introducing multi-year visas for tourists - Minister

NEW DELHI, December 6. /TASS/. India is considering the introduction of 5 and 10-year multiple entry visas, including for tourists, Indian minister of tourism Joseph Alphons Kannanthanam, said in an interview with TASS. "We have e-visas to 166 countries and it is very simple - you apply online and your visa is in your email box in 24 hours. It does not take more than 36 hours anyway. Indian visa today is one the easiest in the world to get. Today we have short term visas for 60-90 days, but we also need long term multiply visas for 5 years, 10 years," he said. The minister noted that while India is ready to implement this initiative only on a bilateral basis: introducing such visas only with those countries that in return will introduce similar visas for Indian citizens. The official also said that India is ready to discuss the current problem of charter flights with Russia - currently a tourist who flew by a charter flight also must fly away by the charter of the same airline. "If you write to us what the problems with charter flights are, what you want us to do, we will certainly work it out," the minister told TASS. Currently, passengers of tourist charter flights can fly from India only by the charter of the same airline. If a tourist arrives by charter and wants to stay longer, he can no longer buy a ticket for a regular flight. This Indian rule creates problems for tour operators and travel agencies. Read more