core sector communique

Progress of Tourist Visa on Arrival Scheme in June 2012

Last month a total number of 864 Visa on Arrivals (VoAs) were issued as compared to 770 VoAs during the month of June 2011 registering a positive growth of 12.2%. During the period January-June 2012, a total number of 6721 VoAs were issued as compared to 5774 VoAs during corresponding period of 2011 registering a positive growth of 16.4%. The number of VOAs issued under this scheme, during June 2012 for nationals of the ten countries were Japan (233), New Zealand (171), Indonesia (152), Singapore (135), Philippines (113), Finland (30), Vietnam (12), Luxembourg (8) Cambodia (5) and Myanmar (5). The number of VoAs issued under this scheme, during January-June 2012 were Japan (1625), New Zealand (1427), Indonesia (1092), Philippines (944), Singapore (887), Finland (513), Vietnam (88), Cambodia (49), Myanmar (46), Luxembourg (44) and Laos (6). During the period January-June 2012, the maximum number of VoAs were issued at Delhi airport (3888), followed by Mumbai (1473), Chennai (954) and Kolkata (406). As a facilitative measure to attract more foreign tourists to India, Government launched a Scheme of “Visa on Arrival” (VoA) from January 2010 for citizens of five countries, viz. Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore, visiting India for tourism purposes. The Government furtherextended this Scheme for the citizens of six more countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Laos and Myanmar from January 2011.