South Korea to get visa-on-arrival facility from April 15

NEW DELHI: The number of South Korean visitors to the country is expected to increase as the government has extended the visa-on-arrival facility to the country with effect from April 15.

“South Korea will become the 12th country to get visa-on-arrival facility from April 15 and the necessary order has been issued accordingly,” a senior Tourism Ministry official told PTI.

Currently, there are 11 countries that have been given the VoA facility and after the inclusion of South Korea the number will go up to 12.

As a facilitative measure to attract more foreign tourists to India, government had launched VoA scheme from January 2010 for citizens of five countries – Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore – visiting India for tourism purposes.

The scheme was extended to six more countries – Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar in 2011.

Aiming at giving a major boost to tourism, India has allowed visa-on-arrival facility for tourists from 180 countries, including South Korea, US, UK, Russia, Germany, China, UAE and Bangladesh.

Tourism ministry has sought the facility to be extended to some 180 countries including South Korea, Germany, France and Russia to boost foreign tourist arrivals in the country.

“Though the government has approved in-principle the VoA scheme for many countries, it will take four to five months for the respective departments to put the required infrastructure in place. The scheme is expected to be operational from the coming tourist session beginning October,” the official said.

Meanwhile, the VoA facility for South Korea will be operational from April 15, as the required preparatory work is being completed for it, he said.

However, tourists from eight “prior reference” countries — Pakistan, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia and Sri Lanka — will continue to apply for visa through embassy.

Under the liberalised visa regime, tourists from these countries can apply online for electronic travel authorisation at least three days prior to their date of travel. Once in India, they will have to undergo just one biometric identification to get the visa, which will be valid for 30 days and would not be renewed. The facility will be available at 26 airports across the country.

South Korea to get visa-on-arrival facility from April 15