Given all the hassles reported with Indian visas, thought I'd give my Visa-on-Arrival experience. For those following such things, this is a new scheme introduced in 2010, for passport holders of New Zealand (yay!), Japan, Singapore, Finland, Luxembourg. Hopefully expanded later! Maximum stay of 30 days, entering at Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai airports.
First (and biggest) problem, checking in for my flight in Singapore (Tiger Airways, Singapore to Chennai). The check-in staff wanted an advance visa, claimed voa didn't work for NZ citizens, someone else had been denied and turned back to Singapore, etc. Trying to make me change my ticket and get a visa in Singapore. But I stuck to my guns, quoted the rules (as published on the web by the high commission in Wellington). Eventually they relented, but made me sign an indemnity for if I get denied entry, and they get fined...
So I'm nervous for the whole flight across the Bay of Bengal...
Sure enough, at the Chennai immigration area, there was a little office off to the side, for voa. Just me and a Singaporean from the same flight. The usual bureaucratic form, right down to things like hotel reservation numbers, which I didn't have. So I left that space blank, no problems. My return air reservation was checked. Fee is $60 US according to the High commission web site, which became 3000 rupees, $ not accepted, at the airport. Currency exchange booth was unstaffed. Fortunately the Singaporean guy would change some rupees for me.
And then, two big stamps in my passport, one warning of all the restrictions, the other my visa.. Quickly through the immigration booths, and I'm in India!
So the story seems to be, the voa scheme works, but check rules carefully for eligibility and requirements. And the airlines don't like it, so be prepared for hassles there.
Cheers...
Catherine, from Visakhapatnam.
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